We the People News

Munster, Indiana teacher and coach receives Americanism Award
American Legion Post 369 recently presented its Americanism Award to James Colias. Colias has lived in Munster since he was a first-grader attending James B. Eads Elementary School. A Munster High School and 1983 Indiana University graduate, he served as a teacher and principal at Wilbur Wright Middle School for 18 years, and is now a teacher at Munster High School. Colias' students have successfully competed at the District 1 Simulated Congressional We the People Hearings at Indiana University and gone on to compete at the State We the People Hearings in Indianapolis. This competition provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles. Colias has been involved with the We the People organization for the last nine years. During this time, the We the People students have been district champions eight times. Through his efforts, students developed skills to relate their everyday experiences to basic constitutional government and civic responsibilities.
Pleasanton Council honors Amador Valley's 'We the People' team
The Pleasanton City Council will honor members of Amador Valley High School's "We the People" team and its coaches at the start of its 7 p.m. meeting tonight in the Civic Center, 200 Old Bernal Ave. The team, coached by social studies and civics teachers Brian Ladd and Mairi Wohlgemuth, placed second place in national competition in Washington, D.C. last month among high schools from 44 other states and the District of Columbia. It was the 12th time Amador Valley has represented California in the We the People national competition. The school's team won the state championship in Bakersfield on Feb. 9.
Congressman Blumenauer Congratulates Grant High School in Congressional Record for their We the People Championship
the Honorable Earl Blumenauer congratulated the Grant High School Constitution Team from Portland, Oregon, winners of the national We the People Competition this year. He applauded "the students from Grant High School, the largest public high school in Portland, who overcame perennial budget cuts and teacher shortages to achieve a remarkable feat in winning this prestigious competition. They should serve as an inspiration to all of us and a reminder of the importance of civic education." He also said "Since the Constitution's Bicentennial, the We the People Competition has emphasized the importance of civic education and involvement, and has pushed students to develop a deep knowledge of our government and a passion for our nation's principles. I continue to be greatly impressed by the students with whom I have had the good fortune to meet and watch in competition."
Golden Valley High School Receives Civic Learning Award of Excellence
Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, the 28th Chief Justice of California, was at Golden Valley High in Bakersfield to present the school with a Civic Learning Award of Excellence. Only three schools in California received the award co-sponsored by the Chief Justice and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. "It's refreshing to see how creative educators and motivated students learn about the power of democracy," said Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye. "These courses and programs help motivate our leaders of tomorrow." The Chief Justice's visit included firsthand accounts from students and teachers of the school's award-winning civics programs such as "Project Citizen" and "We, the People: The Citizen and the Constitution."
The Constitution Comes to Life for Ohio Middle School Students
The U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights came to life when more than 300 middle school students traveled to the campus of The Ohio State University to participate in the "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Middle School State Showcase," a program of the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education.
Indiana State Grad coaches junior high civics team to national championship
Indiana State University graduate Michael Potts couldn't have asked for a better time to become coach. Potts, a social studies teacher at Brown County Junior High School, spent the last two years working with the coach of the school's We the People team, which consists of eighth graders who learn about the U.S. Constitution and participate in state-level competitions. Potts took the helm for the 2012-2013 academic year, coaching the team to win the inaugural We the People national championship. "I think the biggest lesson they learned was work ethic," said Potts, who has also taught as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana State and Oakland City University. "Knowing that if we work hard, we put the time in, come in before school, work after school, good things will happen." It's been a busy year for Potts. Prior to the We the People team's national win, the Indiana State graduate won the school's teacher of the year award. In March, his wife gave birth to their first child.
Maryland students vie in constitution competition
Students, faculty and parents from Gerstell Academy, in Finksburg, gathered at Maryland Hall for the state We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Competition on Feb. 20. During the nationally recognized event, run by the Center for Civic Education in Washington, D.C., students presented testimony and applied knowledge of the constitution and then participated in a period of questioning by judges, who are local businessmen and politicians. Students were required to present their testimony in a designated time frame, and then respond to the judges’ questions in a timed format. The judges posed questions designed to help the students learn the relevance and importance of the constitution in today’s society.
Reno High School team places in Top-20 In national We the People competition
A team of Reno High School students competing in the national We the People civics competition finished first in their unit competition and 19th out of 56 teams overall. “The Nevada Supreme Court congratulates the Reno High School students and their teacher and coach, Richard Clark, for winning the state competition and now, for their success at the national level,” said Chief Justice Kristina Pickering. “We the People is an outstanding program that fosters a better understanding of how our government works – including the Judicial Branch.” Chief Justice Pickering was a judge during the state We the People competition. The state competition has been sponsored for the past decade by the State Bar of Nevada.
Region students win top marks in We the People contest
Fifth-grade students from four Northwest Indiana schools earned top ratings in a We the People competition at the Statehouse on Friday by demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of government and the Constitution. The boys and girls spoke before panels of judges from the Indiana Bar Association about current events and how they relate to the nation's laws and founding principles. Karen Finley, a Clark Middle School teacher, said she's been amazed to watch her students get excited about government. Her class began studying the We the People civics education topics in January and practiced presentations for more than a month. "They have learned so much about the amendments, due process, civil rights and the framers of the Constitution," Finley said. "It's been extremely beneficial." During the awards ceremony, Gov. Mike Pence told the more than 350 participants from across Indiana that he was proud of their accomplishments and commitment to citizenship.
Idaho Humanities Council to Honor Two Teachers Using Center materials
Siena Elementary School teacher Heide Fry and Centennial High School teacher Cindy Wilson, both of whom use Center for Civic Education materials with their classes, will receive awards in May from the Idaho Humanities Council for “Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities.” The two Meridian School District teachers will be recognized because of their passion for the humanities, their ability to inspire students through their love of their subject, their innovative teaching methods, and their contributions to the teaching profession. Each teacher will receive $1,000 for personal use and $1,000 for her school to devote to improving the teaching of the humanities.