By Jan Goehring
East High School in Denver, Colorado won the National Finals of the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution event this week. It is their third national title in a row; an unprecedented achievement.
Vestavia Hills High School in Vestavia Hills, Alabama took second and Amador Valley High School of Pleasanton, California came in third. More than 1,100 students representing all 50 states and the Northern Mariana Islands participated in the three-day competition in Washington, D.C. Schools must win a state competition to go on to the national finals.
Students spend thousands of hours studying constitutional and historical principles to prepare for the event. The finals are a simulated hearing in which students testify before a panel of judges who ask in-depth questions. The last round of the competition addressed issues of federalism. The event is sponsored by the Center for Civic Education.
Having judged the national finals in the past, I can tell you that the students who participate in this program are amazing. Their passion and excitement about their constitutional studies is inspiring and the intensity of the competition can be felt in every hearing room. Congratulations to all!
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