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Students to hold ‘We the People…’ Congressional Hearings

By: Bill Curtis
9:05 PM Thursday, November 20th, 2008
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“We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution,” Dec. 2 from 8:35 a.m.—2:55 p.m., at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB), 9001 Stockdale Hwy. An awards ceremony will follow at 4 p.m. in CSUB’s Doré Theater. Competition will take place in various CSUB lecture halls to determine champions for the 20th and 22nd Congressional Districts. Centennial, East Bakersfield, Foothill, Golden Valley, Highland, Liberty, South and West high schools make up the 22nd Congressional District, while those representing the 20th Congressional District will be from Arvin, Delano, Ridgeview and Shafter high schools.

This intense instructional program fosters understanding of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Teams from 11th and 12th grade government classes give oral presentations on six selected topics in hearings conducted by government teachers and Constitutional experts. Following the presentations, students respond to judges' questions in a lively open discussion testing their ability to apply the Constitution to present day situations. Each competing school is divided into six expert teams — one team for each of the six hearing topics.

Winners will be decided in both the 20th and 22nd Congressional districts. The school that accumulates the most team points is declared the overall champion and represents The Center for Civic Education in Calabasas, California, originated and administers the nationwide competition. Locally, it is coordinated by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools

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