This landmark program, co-sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, engages upper elementary, middle and high school students in a curriculum designed to foster understanding of the institutions of American democracy, including the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students “testify” (while they test their knowledge and confidence) before a panel of volunteer attorneys, educators and civic leaders.

IMPORTANT: Funding for We the People was not included in Congress’ last budget. But both Classroom Law Project and the Center for Civic Education remain open for business. CLP is funded through a variety of sources – including friends like you – and we remain committed to quality civic education in the classroom and We the People is a part of that. We will continue to support the WTP program with:

  1. professional development,
  2. classroom support, and
  3. district and state competitions for high school.

See below for more information about:

 

Results of 2012 WTP High School Competition

Lincoln High School Places First in We the People National Finals!

After three days of simulated congressional hearings on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Lincoln High School of Portland, Oregon, won first place in the the 25th Anniversary We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals.  Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School of Richmond, Virginia, placed second and Arcadia High School of Arcadia, California, finished third. Below is video footage of Lincoln High School at the National We the People Competition.

National We the People Hearings – Prepared Remarks

National We the People Hearings – Follow Up Q & A

While at the Nation’s Capitol, Representative Suzanne Bonamici met with the Lincoln High School students on the Capitol steps.

 

Watch Representative Suzanne Bonamici honor the Lincoln High School team on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The team is very dedicated and has studied for months and it shows,” said teacher Tim Swinehart. “We are proud to have another opportunity to represent Oregon.”

At the We the People State Competition, five teams from around the state faced panels of judges who quizzed students on the content, history, influence and flexibility of the Constitution. There were 36 state and federal judges, constitutional scholars, and other civic leaders, including two Oregon Supreme Court judges. (Complete list included below.)

The schools finished in the following order:

  • First Place: Lincoln High School
  • Second Place: Grant High School
  • Third Place: Lake Oswego High School
  • Fourth Place: Franklin High School
  • Fifth place: Junction City High School

“It was astounding to watch the students maintain poise and confidence throughout the entire event,” said

Marilyn Cover, executive director of CLP. “This event is truly something to behold, and I hope to see all of these schools and more participate in next year’s competition.”

Regional contests took place Jan. 10 and 12 in Lake Oswego, Pendleton and Eugene. At regionals, teams from five Congressional districts around Oregon (12 classes from 11 schools involving more than 400 students) competed to move to the state level. Read more about the 2012 WTP Regional Competitions.

2012 Judges List

Hon. John Acosta, U.S. District Court
Hon. David Brewer, Oregon Court of Appeals
Hon. Anna Brown, U.S. District Court
Hon. Kate Brown, Oregon Secretary of State
Mr. Thom Brown, Cosgrave Vergeer & Kester
Mr. Scott Bruun, Miller & Zimmerly Holdings
Prof. Richard Christen, University of Portland
Prof. Shawn Daley, Concordia University
Hon. Robert Durham, Oregon Supreme Court
Mr. Dave Ernst, Davis Wright Tremaine
Prof. Jim Foster, Oregon State University
Mr. John Frohnmayer, Oregon Humanities
Rep. Chris Garrett, Oregon House of Representatives
Hon. Marco Hernandez, U.S. District Court
Ms. Sue Hildick, Chalkboard Project
Mr. Henry Hooper, Visiting Fellow, Murdock Trust
Hon. Karin Immergut, Multnomah Circuit Court
Mr. Noah Jarrett, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt
Mr. Todd Jones, Office of the Governor
Ms. Margaret Kirkpatrick, NW Natural
Dean Robert Klonoff, Lewis & Clark Law School
Mr. Ethan Knight, U.S. Attorney’s Office
Mr. Chip Lazenby, Multnomah County
Hon. Virginia Linder, Oregon Supreme Court
Mr. Mark Loomis, Nike
Hon. Keith Meisenheimer, Circuit Court
Prof. James Moore, Pacific University
Hon. Paul Papak, U.S. District Court
Mr. Steve Powers, Office of the Governor
Hon. Michael Simon, U.S. District Court
Hon. Kelly Skye, Multnomah Circuit Court
Ms. Karen Stratton, Beaverton School District
Mr. Brian Talcott, Dunn Carney
Ms. Alyssa Tormala, St. Mary’s Academy
Ms. Virginia Van Vactor, Attorney
Ms. Jennifer Williamson, The Ruby Firm

2012 Regional Competition

Congratulations to the eight schools participating in the We the People Lake Oswego District competition! Held on January 10, 2012 at Lake Oswego High School, the judges commended all of the teams for their hard work and impressive performances. Read Commissioner Nick Fish’s speech that was given at the awards ceremony. In the end, the judges chose the following schools to represent their districts at the State We the People Competition on January 21, 2012:

District 1 – Lincoln High School
District 3 – Franklin High School
District 5 – Lake Oswego High School
Wildcard – Grant High School

The following Unit Awards were also presented:

Unit 1 – Central Catholic High School
Unit 2 – West Linn High School
Unit 3 – De La Salle High School
Unit 4 – Central Catholic High School
Unit 5 – Parkrose High School, Black Team
Unit 6 – Parkrose High School, Green Team

 

WTP High School Competition

Each January, the acclaimed We the People competition brings together high school teams from around the state. Students demonstrate their understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take positions and ultimately defend those positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues during a simulated congressional hearing. District competitions in Portland, Pendleton and Eugene precede the state final, which determines the team that will represent Oregon at the national competition in Washington, DC.

 

Check out this great video from David Douglas High School in Portland:

 

Non-Competitive

High School – students who would like to participate in We the People, but aren’t quite ready for competition, also have an opportunity to showcase their constitutional knowledge.  Demonstration Hearings are held during your district’s competition.

Elementary & Middle School – In May 2012, select 5th-8th grade students have the opportunity to present We the People simulated congressional hearings to a panel of legislators, civic leaders and members of the State Champion We the People team.

This event is in conjunction with Project Citizen Showcase at the Capitol where simulated congressional hearings take place the following day.  Project Citizen portfolios are displayed on both days.

Click here for more information about We the People & Project Citizen Days at the Capitol.

 

We the People Coaches Workshop

Reviews the state hearing questions with Hon. Susan Leeson, co-author of the newly released and highly acclaimed We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution high school textbook.

All teachers, teacher-coaches, attorney-coaches, and other colleagues working with students as they prepare for simulated congressional hearings, both competitive and non-competitive, should attend.

This event is usually held in October of each year.

 

We the People State Competition

Observation Workshop

Seeing is Believing

A We the People Workshop for High School Teachers

Print the 2012 flyer

This dynamic workshop combines observing the highly acclaimed We the People competition in January with discussion of the curriculum, and how to get started in your school.

WHO: High school teachers using the We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution textbook, teachers who wish they were, and teachers wanting to know more!

WHAT: A day-long workshop organized so that teachers observe students compete in the state finals of the We the People competition, then participate in an interactive session with other teachers to review, debrief, dissect, and learn from what was seen.

WHY: The We the People program is like none other. Students begin knowing little about the Constitution but leave owning it. At the culminating event – the high school competition – one school from each of Oregon’s five congressional districts competes for the right to represent Oregon at the national finals in Washington, D.C.

Teams compete in mock congressional hearings posing as experts testifying about the Constitution. Students are questioned by state and federal judges, constitutional scholars, and other civic leaders. And they respond with assuredness, authority, poise, and passion. It is unrehearsed. It is powerful. And it will knock your socks off.

 

District Coordinators

To learn more about the programs for grades 5-12, workshops, simulated hearings (both non-competitive and competitive), how to get free books, or report your hearings, contact your district coordinator.

 

Previous We the People State Competition Winners

2012 Lincoln HS
2011 Grant HS
2010 Lincoln HS
2009 Grant HS
2008 Grant HS
2007 Grant HS
2006 Grant HS
2005 Grant HS
2004 Grant HS
2003 Lincoln HS
2002 Grant HS
2001 Lincoln HS
2000 Lincoln HS
1999 Lincoln HS
1998 Lincoln HS
1997 Lincoln HS
1996 Lincoln HS
1995 Lincoln HS
1994 Lincoln HS
1993 Lincoln HS
1992 Lincoln HS
1991 Lincoln HS
1990 Lincoln HS
1989 Lincoln HS
1988 Lincoln HS
1987 Lincoln HS