The Center for Civic Education's Nationwide Competition on the Constitution Taking Place at National Conference Center

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Competitions on the U.S. Constitution for Middle and High School Students Being Held Near Nation's Capital

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Students from across the nation are participating in two We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution national competitions on the U.S. Constitution on April 20-24 online and at the National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia. More than 1,000 students from schools ranging from Hawaii to Florida will test their knowledge of the Constitution and American government before panels of judges. One team will emerge as the national champion during the awards ceremony, which will be livestreamed on YouTube on Monday, April 24, at 8 p.m. ET.

"It is inspiring to witness the confidence, dedication, and true constitutional expertise of these students," said Dr. Donna Phillips, Vice President and Chief Program Officer for the Center for Civic Education. "They have spent countless hours learning about the Constitution, our history, and the foundations of our American democratic system. They have been drafting their testimonies and practicing their public-speaking skills while deepening their knowledge and commitment to our country's democratic principles. Witnessing them testifying on the fundamental principles of our representative democracy gives me great confidence in the future of our nation."

This is the 36th year of the National Finals, which has taken place every year since the bicentennial of the Constitution in 1987. Fourteen middle school teams and 48 high school teams from 31 states and the District of Columbia will participate in this year's events. Seventy-two judges have volunteered their time at the National Finals, while an additional 24 judges will assist with the National Invitational. The National Invitational, now in its 11th year, takes place virtually on April 20 and 21, immediately followed by the in-person National Finals on April 22-24.

Open for News Coverage

To avoid disruption of the hearings and facilitate news coverage, please contact Rebecca Reeder at 260-615-7745 to arrange entrance into a hearing room.

About the Center for Civic Education

The Center for Civic Education has long been recognized as a leader in providing civic education to K–12 students and adults, with its research-based curriculum reaching more than 42 million students and 440,000 educators in the United States and in more than 80 countries since 1965. Learn more about the Center for Civic Education at www.civiced.org. Information on the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals can be found at https://civiced.org/national-finals-2023. Information on the National Invitational can be found at https://civiced.org/national-invitational-2023. Photos of students competing in the National Finals can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/civiceducation/albums/72177720307622123/with/52775754370/.

Media contact:

Mark Gage
Center for Civic Education
805-794-7650
[email protected]

SOURCE Center for Civic Education