We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
Encyclopedia
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, is a yearly competition for American high school students held in Washington D.C. The competition is styled as a congressional hearing
. Each team is divided up into six units, each composed of three or more students. Each unit focuses on a particular area of Constitutional interest - from the philosophical underpinnings and Constitutional Convention
to modern day implications.
In preparation for the competition, each unit prepares three four-minute speeches in response to formal prompts. On the day of the competition each unit will be asked to present one of their speeches and a panel of three judges will have a six minute questioning period to ask follow-up questions.
In order to qualify for the national competition, a team must win its state championship. The national competition takes place over three days, with only the top ten teams from the first two days advancing to the final day. At the national competition, each unit will present two of their speeches over the first two days of competition. The teams with the ten highest combined scores advance to the final round on the third day. These ten teams present their third speech. Beginning in 2010, the top ten awards are determined by combining the scores from the first two days with the final round score, with the final round score weighted more. In previous years, the first two days' scores were not counted toward the top ten rankings.
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." More than 1,200 students participate in the national competition each year.
1st Place: Virginia
2nd Place: California
3rd Place: New Jersey
Honorable Mention
(top ten)
4th Place: Alabama
5th Place: Michigan
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
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
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
National Champions
Congressional hearing
Congressional hearings are the principal formal method by which committees collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Whether confirmation hearings — a procedure unique to the Senate — legislative, oversight, investigative, or a combination of these, all...
. Each team is divided up into six units, each composed of three or more students. Each unit focuses on a particular area of Constitutional interest - from the philosophical underpinnings and Constitutional Convention
Philadelphia Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place from May 14 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from...
to modern day implications.
In preparation for the competition, each unit prepares three four-minute speeches in response to formal prompts. On the day of the competition each unit will be asked to present one of their speeches and a panel of three judges will have a six minute questioning period to ask follow-up questions.
In order to qualify for the national competition, a team must win its state championship. The national competition takes place over three days, with only the top ten teams from the first two days advancing to the final day. At the national competition, each unit will present two of their speeches over the first two days of competition. The teams with the ten highest combined scores advance to the final round on the third day. These ten teams present their third speech. Beginning in 2010, the top ten awards are determined by combining the scores from the first two days with the final round score, with the final round score weighted more. In previous years, the first two days' scores were not counted toward the top ten rankings.
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." More than 1,200 students participate in the national competition each year.
2011 Results
National Winners1st Place: Virginia
2nd Place: California
3rd Place: New Jersey
Honorable Mention
(top ten)
4th Place: Alabama
5th Place: Michigan
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 Winners1st 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' Awards1st 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
2011 National Competition
- 1st: Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond, Virginia
- 2nd: Amador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High School is a public high school in Pleasanton, California, USA, a city east of San Francisco. Amador Valley is one of four high schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District, which includes Foothill High School, Village High School, and Horizon High School. The school was...
, Pleasanton, California - 3rd: East Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High School is a comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 10 through 12 in East Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, operating as part of East Brunswick Public Schools. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in the 1990-91...
, East Brunswick, New Jersey
2010 National Competition
- 1st: Arcadia High SchoolArcadia High School (Arcadia, California)Arcadia High School is a part of the Arcadia Unified School District and is a four-year comprehensive secondary school located on a site in Arcadia, California. Their motto is"Our Caring Makes a Difference."...
, Arcadia, California - 2nd: Vestavia Hills High SchoolVestavia Hills High SchoolVestavia Hills High School , founded in 1970, is a public high school in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. Part of the Vestavia Hills School System, the high school is known for the success of its band, math, debate, "We the People" Team, Economics Challenge Team, American football,...
, Vestavia Hills, Alabama - 3rd: Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond, Virginia
2009 National Competition
- 1st: East High School, Denver, Colorado
- 2nd: Vestavia Hills High SchoolVestavia Hills High SchoolVestavia Hills High School , founded in 1970, is a public high school in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. Part of the Vestavia Hills School System, the high school is known for the success of its band, math, debate, "We the People" Team, Economics Challenge Team, American football,...
, Vestavia Hills, Alabama - 3rd: Amador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High School is a public high school in Pleasanton, California, USA, a city east of San Francisco. Amador Valley is one of four high schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District, which includes Foothill High School, Village High School, and Horizon High School. The school was...
, Pleasanton, California
2008 National Competition
- 1st: East High School, Denver, Colorado
- 2nd: Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond, Virginia
- 3rd: Grant High School, Portland, Oregon
2007 National Competition
- 1st: East High School, Denver, Colorado
- 2nd: Amador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High School is a public high school in Pleasanton, California, USA, a city east of San Francisco. Amador Valley is one of four high schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District, which includes Foothill High School, Village High School, and Horizon High School. The school was...
, Pleasanton, California - 3rd: Grant High School, Portland, Oregon
2006 National Competition
- 1st: East Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High School is a comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 10 through 12 in East Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, operating as part of East Brunswick Public Schools. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in the 1990-91...
, East Brunswick, New Jersey - 2nd: Amador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High SchoolAmador Valley High School is a public high school in Pleasanton, California, USA, a city east of San Francisco. Amador Valley is one of four high schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District, which includes Foothill High School, Village High School, and Horizon High School. The school was...
, Pleasanton, California - 3rd: East High School, Denver, Colorado
2005 National Competition
- 1st: East Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High School is a comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 10 through 12 in East Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, operating as part of East Brunswick Public Schools. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in the 1990-91...
, East Brunswick, New Jersey - 2nd: Grant High School, Portland, Oregon
- 3rd: Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond, Virginia
2004 National Competition
- 1st: East Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High School is a comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 10 through 12 in East Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, operating as part of East Brunswick Public Schools. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in the 1990-91...
, East Brunswick, New Jersey - 2nd: Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond, Virginia
- 3rd: Grant High School, Portland, Oregon
2003 National Competition
- 1st: Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond, Virginia
- 2nd: Our Lady of Lourdes AcademyOur Lady of Lourdes AcademyOur Lady of Lourdes Academy is a Roman Catholic, all-girls high school in Miami, Florida founded in 1963.It is run by the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters. Lourdes has a long standing tradition in both academics and athletics.The current principal is Sister Kathryn Donze IHM Lourdes was named one...
, Miami, Florida - 3rd: East Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick High School is a comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 10 through 12 in East Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, operating as part of East Brunswick Public Schools. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in the 1990-91...
, East Brunswick, New Jersey
National Champions
- 2002 Dobson High School, Mesa, Arizona
- 2001 Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami Florida
- 2000 Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami Florida
- 1999 Maine South High School, Park Ridge, Illinois
- 1998 East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ
- 1997 Our Lady of Lourdes, Miami, FL
- 1996 Lincoln High School, Portland, OR
- 1995 Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, CA
- 1994 Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami, FL
- 1993 Arcadia High School, Arcadia, CA
- 1992 East High School, Denver, CO
- 1991 Lincoln High School, Portland, OR
- 1990 Lincoln High School, Portland, OR
- 1989 Lincoln Southeast High School, Lincoln, NE
- 1988 Gompers Secondary School, San Diego, CA