May 5, 2010 – A semester of challenging academic research on American democracy and the contemporary relevance of the U.S. Constitution paid off for students from Wauwatosa West High School, who finished in the top ten competing against 52 teams from other states and territories at the 2010 We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals in Washington D.C.

More than 1,100 students from 52 high schools representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Northern Mariana Islands showcased their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights during the three-day competition, from April 24-26.

The We the People program, which is hosted in Wisconsin by the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Law Foundation, prepares the students for the state- and national-level events with a challenging social studies and history curriculum. The curriculum’s design and mock congressional hearing format combine to make this program unique because it addresses the academic standards required in Wisconsin’s K-12 curriculum while also exposing students to a challenging experience that requires them to develop both individual and team skills.

At the simulated congressional hearings, students answer questions posed by volunteer panels consisting of lawyers, legislators and educational professionals. Members of the class become expert witnesses on one of six units in the curriculum and then testify before the judges acting as U.S. Congressional Representatives. Students are scored on their opening presentation and on answers to follow-up questions by a panel of judges, who grade the students on understanding, constitutional application, reasoning, supporting evidence, responsiveness and participation. The national finals judges include judges, public officials, political scientists, historians, educators, attorneys and others.

Reflecting on the team’s earlier experience in the state-level competition that earned them a trip to the national finals, Mateske urged other teachers around the state to consider offering the We the People program to more Wisconsin students next year. “The kids had a great experience and the parents were simply wowed by the way this program makes kids think, understand and be able to respond like such adults,” Mateske said. “Without the program and without the books and without the competition not only would I not know about how to teach this information on such an enriching level, I wouldn’t be able to get the kids to work as hard as they do. They will all be better citizens because of this.”

At the We the People awards banquet on Monday evening U.S. Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin was honored with the 2010 Dale E. Kildee Civitas Award for his contributions to the field of civic education.

The We the People program has reached more than 30 million students and 81,000 teachers since its inception in 1987. The program is funded nationally by the U.S. Department of Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved by Congress. The program is directed by the Center for Civic Education, based in Los Angeles, Calif., and Washington, D.C. Additional information about the program and other law-related education activities sponsored by the State Bar of Wisconsin can be found on www.wisbar.org/lre.