We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals, sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, is a yearly competition involving high school students from throughout the United States. The national finals simulates a congressional hearing and is held at George Mason University and in congressional hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. Each class is divided into six units, each composed of three to five students. Each unit focuses on a particular area of Constitutional interest - from the philosophical underpinnings and Constitutional Convention to the Bill of Rights and modern day implications. Students are judged on criteria such as their understanding, reasoning, responsiveness, and use of constitutional applications. [1]

In preparation for the national finals, classes learn about government and study the Constitution and Bill of Rights. In each class the six unit groups prepare four-minute opening statements in response to three congressional hearing questions. Afterwards, judges ask students follow-up questions to test the depth of their knowledge on the topic in a six-minute question and answer period.[2] During the national finals over 1,200 students from 56 classes testify before a total of 72 judges, in panels of three. The judges are history, political science, law, and education professors, members of the legal community, and others with a knowledge of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

In order to qualify for the national finals, a class must win its state championship or qualify as a "wild card" class. The national finals takes place over three days, with the top ten classes from the first two days advancing to the final round of competition in hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. At the national finals, each unit testifies on two hearing questions during the first two days of competition. The classes with the ten highest combined scores advance to the final round on the third day. The top ten places are determined by combining the scores from the first two days and a weighted final round score. Each year nearly $2,000,000 is raised in communities throughout the United States to support the national finals.

According to the Center for Civic Education, "Since the inception of the We the People program in 1987, more than 28 million students and 90 thousand educators have participated in the program and more than 30,000 students have participated in the national finals."[3]

2015 results

National Winners

1st Place: Oregon - Grant High School - Portland
2nd Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School - Richmond
3rd Place: Virginia - Douglas S Freeman High School - Henrico

Honorable Mentions

4th Place: Washington - Tahoma Senior High School- Covington
5th Place: Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School- Vestavia Hills
6th Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton
7th Place: Nevada - Edward C. Reed High School- Sparks
8th Place: Michigan - East Grand Rapids High School - Grand Rapids
9th Place: New Jersey - East Brunswick High School - East Brunswick
10th Place: Indiana - Munster High School - Munster

Unit Awards

Unit 2: Wisconsin- Wauwatosa West High School- Wauwatosa
Unit 4: California- Arcadia High School- Arcadia
Unit 5: Arizona - Corona del Sol High School - Tempe

2014 results

National Winners

1st Place: Oregon -Lincoln High School - Portland
2nd Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton
3rd Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School - Richmond

Honorable Mentions

4th Place: Indiana- Fishers High School- Fishers
5th Place: Alabama- Vestavia Hills High School- Vestavia Hills
6th Place: Michigan- East Grand Rapids High School- Grand Rapids
7th Place: Colorado- Grandview High School- Aurora
8th Place: Illinois- Maine South High School- Park Ridge
9th Place: Arizona- Corona del Sol- Tempe
10th Place: New Mexico- Highland High School- Albuquerque

Unit Awards

Unit 2: Wisconsin- Wauwatosa West High School- Wauwatosa

2013 results

National Winners

1st Place: Oregon-Grant High School-Portland
2nd Place: California- Amador Valley High School-Pleasanton
3rd Place: Colorado-Denver East High School-Denver

Honorable Mentions

4th Place: Alabama- Vestavia Hills High School- Vestavia Hills
5th Place: Indiana- Cathedral High School- Indianapolis
6th Place: Arizona- Corona del Sol High School- Tempe
7th Place: Washington- Tahoma Senior High School- Covington
8th Place: Connecticut- Trumbull High School- Trumbull
9th Place: Illinois- Maine South High School- Park Ridge
10th Place: Indiana (Wild Card)- Plainfield High School- Plainfield

2012 results

National Winners

1st Place: Oregon-Lincoln High School-Portland
2nd Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School
3rd Place: California- Arcadia High School-Arcadia

4th Place: New Jersey
5th Place: Indiana - Munster High School

2011 results

National Winners
1st Place: Virginia Maggie L. Walker Governor's School
2nd Place: California Amador Valley High School
3rd Place: New Jersey

Honorable Mention
(top ten)
4th Place: Alabama Vestavia Hills High School
5th Place: Michigan East Grand Rapids High School
6th Place: Colorado
7th Place: Oregon
8th Place: North Carolina
9th Place: Illinois
10th Place: Indiana

Unit Awards
Best non-finalist team for expertise in each unit of competition
Unit 1: Missouri
Unit 2: Rhode Island
Unit 3: South Dakota
Unit 4: New York
Unit 5: Washington
Unit 6: Kansas

Regional Awards
Best non-finalist team from each region
Western States: Alaska
Mountains/Plains States: New Mexico
Central States: Kentucky
Southeastern States: South Carolina
Northeastern States: Connecticut

2010 results

National Winners
1st Place: California
2nd Place: Alabama
3rd Place: Virginia

Honorable Mention
(top ten)
4th Place: Oregon
5th Place: Colorado
6th Place: New Jersey
7th Place: Florida
8th Place: Indiana
9th Place: Westminster Christian Academy, St. Louis, Missouri
10th Place: Wisconsin

Unit Awards
Best non-finalist team for expertise in each unit of competition
Unit 1: Utah
Unit 2: Connecticut
Unit 3: Arizona
Unit 4: Vermont
Unit 5: Washington
Unit 6: Alaska

Regional Awards
Best non-finalist team from each region
Western States: Nevada
Mountains/Plains States: New Mexico
Central States: Michigan
Southeastern States: North Carolina
Northeastern States: New York

2009 results

National Winners' Awards
1st Place: Colorado
2nd Place: Alabama
3rd Place: California

Honorable Mention
(top ten)
4th Place: Virginia
New Jersey
Indiana
Florida
Oregon
Michigan
Connecticut

Unit Awards
Best non-finalist team for expertise in each unit of competition
Unit 1: Nevada
Unit 2: New York
Unit 3: New Hampshire
Unit 4: Alaska
Unit 5: Wisconsin
Unit 6: Texas

Regional Awards
Best non-finalist team from each region
Western States: Arizona
Mountains/Plains States: New Mexico
Central States: Missouri
Southeastern States: North Carolina
Northeastern States: Vermont

2012 National Competition

2011 National Competition

2010 National Competition

2009 National Competition

2008 National Competition

2007 National Competition

2006 National Competition

2005 National Competition

2004 National Competition

2003 National Competition

National Champions

References

External links

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