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View Winners → AHS Constitution Team Wins National Title
Arcadia Weekly Apr 29, 2010
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The Arcadia High School Constitution team won the National Championship in a competition which was held over the weekend in Washington D.C. The team of thirty high school seniors had won the state competition earlier this year.
“Out of all the academic or athletic teams there are, I honestly believe that the “We the People” program is the most “team-like,” said team member Derek Ha. ”I feel like the luckiest person in the world for having gotten to go through all of this. Working with these people – especially my unit – is challenging, frustrating, stimulating, inspiring, but above all, humbling. I think we all expected it [winning nationals] and did not expect it at the same time. All of us knew we could do it, but the fact that it truly happened is still unbelievable. To next year’s team: Mr. Fox deserves many more national titles…bring him his second one”.
Teacher and coach Kevin Fox expressed his excitement in an email to the newspaper. “I am so excited for and proud of this incredible group of young men and women who showed us all that smart, thoughtful, passionate young people do exist. The expressed a level and depth of understanding that rivals anyone in this country. They are a special group and I’ll always have a special place in my heart for them.”
The competition itself was held over three days of simulated congressional hearings focusing on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The judges were constitutional scholars, lawyers, journalists and public officials. We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution (as the competition is formally called) was developed by the Los Angeles-based Center for Civic Education and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Congressman David Dreier, who met with the Arcadia High students just last week before the competition, was quick to congratulate them. “After spending time with this outstanding group of students last week, I was confident they would take their knowledge of and dedication to learning about the Constitution and turn it into a great win for Arcadia and California,” Dreier said in a statement released earlier this week. “Winning this nationwide competition is a tremendous accomplishment. The City of Arcadia and the entire San Gabriel Valley should be very proud of these outstanding students.”
The students were expected to understand the philosophical and historical foundations of the American political system, and how the constitution was created and changed (specifically as to how it was brought into accord with the ideals announced in the Declaration of Independence). They were also quizzed on how the values and principles advanced in the constitution have shaped American institutions and practices. They were also expected to understand the rights the Bill of Rights protects and the challenges which might face this constitutional democracy in this century.
Joann Park, another member of the championship team, said that the win did not comes without great effort on behalf of everyone involved.
“I have learned that hard work does pay off”, said Park in a telephone interview from Washington. “Everyone on this team was passionate about gov. Everyone knew this was not about being the best member or being the best unit; it was all about being the best team.
We studied about 20 hours per week, met with coaches and practiced at city council chambers every Monday night up until nationals.
Somehow, we just knew this day was ours. We all cried and hugged each other. Yesterday [the final day of the competition] was the happiest day of my life.”
The City of Arcadia and the school district have yet to announce how the win will be celebrated.
Nuria Mathog contributed to this report.
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