Raleigh Charter Captures We The People Competition

Article Date: Friday, March 05, 2010

Written By: Russell Rawlings

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Raleigh Charter High School dethroned longtime champion Northwest Guilford High School on Friday, March 5, in the 2010 state finals of the We the People competition hosted by the North Carolina Bar Association and its Law-Related Education Advisory Committee.

Nine North Carolina high schools and middle school teams participated in the event, which was held in Raleigh.

Teams appeared in two categories: competing teams which were vying for the state championship, and showcasing teams which were participating to gain experience and insight into the We the People program and its simulated congressional hearing format.  

VIDEOS: Top, Raleigh Charter reacts to winning state title; below, teacher Shayne Klein interview.

Justice Robin Hudson delivers keynote address.

Entered in the competition division were Camp Lejeune High School, Forest Hills High School of Marshville, Raleigh Charter High School, Northwest Guilford High School of Greensboro and North Hills Christian High School of Salisbury.

Northwest Guilford, Raleigh Charter, North Hills Christian Middle School and Waynesville Middle School entered teams in the showcasing division.  

As the prevailing team in the competition division, Raleigh Charter will represent North Carolina in the We the People national finals, scheduled April 24-26 in Washington, D.C. Northwest Guilford is the defending champion.

 

Camp Lejeune placed third with honorable mention accolades going to Forest Hills and North Hills. Each of the five competing high school teams captured at least one of the six individual unit competitions, and Raleigh Charter captured two, thereby surpassing Northwest Guilford for the title.

 

Justice Paul Newby, right, accepts honor from Diane Savage and Rufus Allen.

Shayne Klein serves as the coach of the victorious Raleigh Charter team. Incidentally, she is an alumnus of the We the People program dating back to her formative years in New Jersey.

The primary goal of the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program, as stated on its Web site, is to promote civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s elementary and secondary students. What makes the program so successful is the design of its instructional program, including its innovative culminating activity.

The instructional program enhances students understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy. At the same time, students discover the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

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The culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students “testify” before a panel of judges. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues.

 

Rufus Allen and Diane Savage of the LRE Advisory Committee served as emcees for the event. Justice Robin Hudson of the N.C. Supreme Court provided the keynote address, having been introduced by fellow Justice Paul Newby who was recognized during the awards ceremony for his contributions to the program.

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved by the United States Congress. The program is directed by the Center for Civic Education and administered in North Carolina by the Law-Related Education program of the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation.

Raleigh Charter's championship team, led by teacher Shayne Klein, bottom right, and joined by Justice Paul Newby, back left.               (Photo courtesy of Brian P. Fullerton)