Imagine immersing yourself in endless hours of studying U.S. history, civics and government, with the goal of proudly representing your school and community at the annual We the People competition…only to be thwarted by a snow day!
Teams from Kentwood and Hudsonville high schools recently found themselves in this winter impasse. They were scheduled to travel to Lansing to attend the We the People competition at the historic Statehouse. Instead, they were forced to stay home during a snow day on January 9. Because all school events were canceled, the teams missed their opportunity to compete for a spot at the national competition to be held in Washington D.C. in April.
Disappointed by not downtrodden, the teams agreed to hold a “make-up” competition at Kent ISD on Friday, February 6. While this event didn’t qualify them for a trip to the nation’s capital, it provided them with the opportunity to use their knowledge and critical thinking skills.
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Program promotes civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s upper elementary and secondary students.
The program enjoys active support from state bar associations and foundations, and other educational, professional, business, and community organizations across the nation. Since its inception in 1987, more than 28 million students and 75,000 educators have participated in it.
Kentwood High School previously enjoyed a 14-year win streak as Michigan’s We the People state champions. More recently, that honor has gone to East Grand Rapids High School, who won the competition this year. (They traveled to Lansing the night before the competition – beating the snow!)
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