MSU Law was Setting for We the People State Finals and Showcase

Michigan State University College of Law hosted high school students for the State Finals Championship and Showcase of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution. Sponsored by the Michigan Center for Civic Education (MCCE), the We the People program provides students with an understanding of America’s democratic institutions while engaging in a simulated Congressional hearing.

Ellen Zwarensteyn The event opened with a welcome by MCCE Executive Director Ellen Zwarensteyn to the volunteers who would serve as judges during the day-long competition. Due to the weather, one school competed through Zoom while the other four competed in person. Ms. Zwarensteyn has been involved with the We the People program for thirty years and believes that “this is one of the most transformative programs, as the research will demonstrate, that is out there. It can have a positive change on school systems and, most importantly, impact the trajectory of students’ lives.”

MSU Law Dean Michael Sant’Ambrogio encouraged student competitors and commended them for participating as a demonstration of “a remarkable appreciation of our democratic institutions. In today’s mock congressional hearings, you will address important questions such as ‘Which rights are protected by our Bill of Rights?’ These questions are critically important today. I look forward to your spirited discussion of these issues and your future participation in their resolution. As you think about becoming a lawyer, keep Michigan State University College of Law in mind.”

We the People participants

The We the People competition features a stimulated Congressional Hearing with students “testifying” before a panel of volunteer attorneys, educators, and civic leaders. Students present a four-minute prepared statement and then engage with the panel of judges for a seven-minute exchange about historical, political, and Constitutional issues. Prior to the competition, student teams are provided with two subject areas and prepare testimony and research potential answers to questions on content, history, and current applications of the Constitution.

Numerous supporters of the We the People program attended the day-long competition including several present and past MCCE board members. MSU Law’s Director of Pipeline Programming, Outreach and Education Audra Foster partnered with MCCE to host the event at the law college.

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution has been a program of the MCCE since 1987 when it was featured as a special event during the commemoration of the Bicentennial of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The primary goal of this program, according to the MCCE website, is “to promote civic competence, responsibility, appreciation, and enthusiasm for the Constitution and our societal issues among the Nation’s upper elementary and secondary students.” Learn more about We the People on the MCCE website.