State Winning Names Announced in U.S. Navy's Oceanographic Ship Naming Contest



Top Ten Names Selected in Navy's Oceanographic Ship Naming Contest

Released 04 May 1998

After a Navy ship receives Congressional approval for construction, the Navy rarely waits too long to give it a name. But, when construction started on a new Navy TAG-S 60 class (oceanographic survey) ship, the Honorable John Dalton, Secretary of the Navy, agreed to hold a nationwide contest to allow America's school children to name it.

That contest ended on December 31st, with over 1600 name proposals received. A panel of judges announced in April the top winners in each participating state (on the Internet: http://oceanographer.navy.mil). Today, the Navy announces the top ten finalists from around the country:

The American Student
Ship Naming Competition
Top 10 State Entries
STATE SHIP NAME SCHOOL CITY
ILLINOIS BEAR SAINT COLUMBA OTTAWA
ILLINOIS MARY SEARS ZION-BENTON TOWNSHIP HIGH ZION
MARYLAND CORIOLIS ST MARTIN'S LUTHERAN ANNAPOLIS
MISSISSIPPI LOUISE ARNER BOYD PASS CHRISTIAN ELEMENTARY PASS CHRISTIAN
MONTANA TETHYS PARKVIEW ELEMENTARY DILLION
NEW JERSEY GALATEA THE ACADEMY OF ST ELIZABETH CONVENT STATION
OKLAHOMA MILLENNIUM STAR SPENCER SPENCER
RHODE ISLAND BRUCE C. HEEZEN OAK LAWN ELEMENTARY CRANSTON
S. CAROLINA TRADEWIND WANDO HIGH MT PLEASANT
VIRGINIA SEVEN SEAS SILVERBROOK ELEMENTARY FAIRFAX STATION

The Navy will announce the top two finalists on May 18, 1998, and the winning name will be announced by the Secretary of the Navy on June 5, 1998. Representatives from these two winning teams will receive an expense-paid trip to Washington to attend the Secretary's Award reception, and the grand winner a trip to the new ship's christening and launch.

-end-

Note to Editors: A full version of the release announcing the Navy's ship naming competition is available on the Web site listed above. Photographs of the T-AGS 60 class oceanographic survey ship, and B-roll for Network Television is also available.

Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy:
Gail S. Cleere 202-762-1045
Patrick J. Dennis 202-762-0253