For Immediate Release
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CONTACT: Christi Powers
State Bar of Wisconsin
(608) 250-6025 |
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Heritage Christian Middle School Sweeps Statewide Competition
State Bar of Wisconsin hosts public policy competition
MADISON, June 12, 2001 - Students from Heritage
Christian Middle School in West Allis won the "We the People, Project
Citizen" statewide public policy competition for the fourth year in a
row. Heritage Christian swept the competition, held at the State Bar of
Wisconsin on June 9, placing 1st, 2nd and 6th out of 10 teams.
Project Citizen is a hands-on civic education program for middle
school students to promote competent and responsible participation in
state and local government.
Heritage Christian students researched and planned solutions to three
diverse public policy issues - heart problems, youth and guns, and lack
of school supplies. Three teams of students spent a semester studying
the issues of their choice and developed implementation plans, under the
direction of teacher Tracy Eastburn.
The winning entry focused on educating students and teachers about
heart conditions, organizing emergency care training, and installing
public access defibrillators in the schools. These students will attend
a national competition in San Antonio on August 13-15, in conjunction
with the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Students who took 2nd place studied youth and guns. They recommended
instituting a Gun Awareness Week for 4th and 5th graders in their
district.
"The caliber of the entries clearly demonstrates that the students
successfully worked together to find innovative solutions to societal
problems," said retired teacher Jack Jarmes, state coordinator for
Project Citizen." "I can't think of a better way to teach kids about the
inner workings of government."
The competition was sponsored by the Wisconsin Law Foundation, the
State Bar of Wisconsin, the Center for Civic Education, the National
Conference of State Legislatures, and the U.S. Department of Education.
A panel of seven judges-state legislators, government leaders, and
marketing professionals - scored the entries.
For more information on other State Bar law-related education
efforts, visit www.legalexplorer.com/education, or contact Dee Runaas at
(800) 444-9404, ext. 6191.
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