North and Reitz high schools and Thompkins Middle School “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution†teams advanced to the state competition after participating in the district competition held Nov. 15. North finished first in the high school competition with a score of 866. Reitz finished second with a score of 865 and qualified for the state competition through a wild card slot. Both teams will participate in the state competition scheduled for Dec. 18. Thompkins Team A completed the competition with a score of 843 and will compete at the state level on Dec. 17. Both middle and high school state competitions will be held at Plainfield High School in Plainefield, Ind., west of Indianapolis.
The program teaches young people about the principles and values that the Constitution and Bill of Rights embody, and aims to give students a thorough understanding of their rights and responsibilities as American citizens. The program forces students to analyze constitutional principles and apply them to day-to-day life.
A panel of judges test the expertise of the teams in various areas based on the We the People text designed for the competition. Students address topics such as the history and philosophical ideas underlying the Constitution; the development and expansion of the Bill of Rights; and the roles of citizens in American democracy.
Other schools who placed at the district competition, but did not automatically advance to the state level, include: Bosse High School that placed third, with a score of 733; Helfrich Park STEM Academy that placed third with a score of 803; and another team from Thompkins Middle School that came in fourth with a score of 799.
