News Archives
2008
New We the Peple Companion Website Launched
The Center for Civic Education is proud to announce the launch of their new We the People Companion website! The website is designed to be used alongside the new We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution Level 3 text for high school students.
The We the People companion website contains the following features:
- An overview of the student edition, the preface, and the introduction
- The full text of all unit and lesson purposes
- Each term and concept to understand with definitions
- The complete glossary
- Brief biographies of each Founder and Framer mentioned in the student text
- Links to Supreme Court syllabi and opinions for each case described in the student edition
- Links to the full text of primary sources mentioned in the text
- Annotated bibliographies for each unit
- Links to specially selected websites that illuminate concepts mentioned in the student text
- Links to videos and podcasts related to the content of the student text
In addition, the unit and lesson purposes and terms are printable, downloadable and can be listened to in MP3 format (click here to check out the website).
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Now Registering for We The People Summer Institute
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We the People State Competition Results
First Place - Dobson High School
Second Place - Hamilton High School
Third Place - Corona del Sol High School
Fourth Place - Mountain Ridge High School
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2007
Teams to Compete at State Have Been Announced!
Congratulations to all the schools that participated in the district competition on December 8th, and thanks to all the volunteers who made it possible! The following teams will be moving forward to the state competition on January 11th, 2008:
Prescott High School
Lake Havasu High School
Mountain Ridge High School
Corona del Sol High School
Dobson High School
Hamilton High School
Chandler High School Team B
Maricopa High School
Desert View Team 1
Rio Rico High School
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Competition Dates Have Been Announced!
We the People District Competitions will take place on December 8, 2007 at their respective District locations. Contact your District Coordinators for locations, assistance and guidance leading up to the District Competition.
Registration has already begun and is due November 1st.
The State Competition will be held January 11th, 2008 at Chandler Gilbert Community College.
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We The People Registration Is Now Free!
For the 2007-2008 school year, We The People teams will be able to register for the competitions for free due to the generous support of the Arizona State Supreme Court. School responsibility forms and up-to-date rosters will still be required for registration
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LRE Grant Available!
You can apply for an LRE grant to assist with expenses relating to your school's We The People Program! The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education promotes access to justice for all Arizonans. The Foundation works to level the playing field, so that all in Arizona have knowledge and access to the justice system. The Granting Program for Law-Related Education supports and enhances educational efforts that prepare youth for the office of citizen.
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We The People Summer Institute A Success!
Summer may be time off for some teachers but there were more than 50 educators that were back at 'school' and this time as the student. Their committment to their students led them to give up a week of their summer vacation to learn more about the We The People Program. The We The People Summer Institute in June at Yavapai College in Prescott, offered the teachers an opportunity to hear presentations from national civic education leaders, Arizona Supreme Court Justice Scott Bales, and other local experts. The institutes are made possible through a combination of support from the Foundation, Arizona Supreme Court, and the Center for Civic Education.
Each teacher received a complimentary set of text books and more supplimental text books than they could carry for their classrooms. The weeklong professional development and networking opportunities gave these teachers the gift they value most: increased resources for their students to learn.
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The Arizona We The People Summer Institute
The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education hosts a We The People Summer Institute each June at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona. This week-long training is for We The People teachers in upper elementary through high school grade levels, and of all levels of experience with the program.
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Congratulations to Dobson High School!
Dobson High School finished fourth in the national finals of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution after they participated in the competition's final round on Capitol Hill in congressional hearing rooms. More than 1,200 students from all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in the competition. Students on the Dobson team are Quinney Fu, Elizabeth Meyers, Henry Jiang, Jennifer Truong, Cady Pisani, Laurel Jones, Amanda Toohey, Cheseree Gaston, Caree Wheeler, John Lorenzen, Lauren Hanson, Arielle King, Sarah Raynes and Blake Blackman. The team's teacher is Shannon Sweat.
2007 Arizona State Competition Results!!!
Winners:
1st - Dobson High School - Mesa - Teacher: Shannon Sweat
2 nd Hamilton High School - Chandler - Teacher: Mike Spears
3 rd Corona del Sol- Tempe - Teacher: Tim Smith
4 th Marcos de Niza - Tempe - Teacher: David Dotts
Unit Award Winners:
Unit I Mountain Ridge High School - Glendale
Unit II Lake Havasu High School
Unit III Rio Rico High School
Unit IV Higley High School
Unit V Prescott High School
Unit VI Maricopa High School
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Dobson High School of Mesa Represents Arizona in Washington D.C.
The first round of the national finals was held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, April 29 and 30. The competition involves entire classes making presentations and answering questions on constitutional topics before a panel of judges recruited from across the country. Constitutional scholars, lawyers, and government leaders, acting as congressional committee members, judged the students' performances. Arizona Supreme Court Justice Scott Bales was one of this years National Judges. The combined scores of the classes during the first two days of hearings determine which ten teams will compete in the championship round May 1 in Senate hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. That evening the winning classes receive awards at a special ceremony at the Omni Shoreham, Washington D.C.
The annual three-day final competition is the culminating activity of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, the most extensive civic education program of its kind in the country. The Dobson students have been working with their teacher, Shannon Sweat, since last fall studying We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution. The text provides students with a fundamental understanding of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
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We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution State Competition
2007 Arizona State Competition Results!!!
Winners
1st - Dobson High School - Mesa - Teacher: Shannon Sweat
2 nd Hamilton High School - Chandler - Teacher: Mike Spears
3 rd Corona del Sol- Tempe - Teacher: Tim Smith
4 th Marcos de Niza - Tempe - Teacher: David Dotts
Unit Award Winners:
Unit I Mountain Ridge High School - Glendale
Unit II Lake Havasu High School
Unit III Rio Rico High School
Unit IV Higley High School
Unit V Prescott High School
Unit VI Maricopa High School
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Judges Connecting in the Classroom
A GREAT teacher resource available! Arizona teachers from around the state, along with staff and members of the Arizona Supreme Court, have created lesson plans, videos, activities and reading materials for teachers to use when they invite members of the Arizona judiciary into their classroom. The lessons link to all levels of the We The People textbook on the subject of the court system. There is a statewide information sheet included on who to contact to schedule a classroom visit. For further information, contact Jennifer at Jennifer.Nickason@azflse.org
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Legislature Back to School Program
For more information, please click here Legislature Back to School Program
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2006
Raise the Bar Documentary
FREE - Preview copy of "Raise the Bar", the documentary film based on the 2003-04 National High School Mock Trial Championship. E-mail Charleston@mac.com with your request for a copy along with your mailing address.
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State Competition Results
Dobson High School of Mesa Represents Arizona in Washington D.C.
On April 28, students from Mesa's Dobson High School traveled to Washington, D.C., where they represented Arizona in the national finals of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, the highly prestigious academic competition on the U.S. Constitution. The Dobson students studied for months to prepare for their role as experts testifying on constitutional issues in a simulated congressional hearing. To represent their state at the national finals, the class won their congressional district and the Arizona state competition earlier this year. Dobson placed in the top 25 in a field of 50 teams.
State Sponsor
Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education
4201 N. 24 Street, Suite 210
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Phone: (602) 340-7361
Fax: (602) 271-4930
Susan Nusall, Law-related Education Program Manager
National Sponsor
Center for Civic Education
5145 Douglas Fir Road
Calabasas, CA 91302-1467
1-800-350-4223
Robert Leming, We the People National Director
The Arizona We the People... The Citizen and the Constitution program is funded in part by the Arizona Supreme Court and the Center for Civic Education
We the People...the Citizen and the Constitution is administered by the State Coordinator and Congressional District Coordinators.
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Legislature Back to School Program!
For more information, please click here Legislautre Back to School Program
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We the People Logos
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Dobson High School of Mesa Represents Arizona in Washington D.C.
The first round of the national finals was held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, April 29 and 30. The competition involves entire classes making presentations and answering questions on constitutional topics before a panel of judges recruited from across the country. Constitutional scholars, lawyers, and government leaders, acting as congressional committee members, judged the students' performances. Arizona Supreme Court Justice Scott Bales was one of this year's National Judges. The combined scores of the classes during the first two days of hearings determine which ten teams will compete in the championship round May 1 in Senate hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. That evening the winning classes receive awards at a special ceremony at the Omni Shoreham, Washington D.C.
The annual three-day final competition is the culminating activity of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, the most extensive civic education program of its kind in the country. The Dobson students have been working with their teacher, Shannon Sweat, since last fall studying We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution. The text provides students with a fundamental understanding of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
A GREAT teacher resource available! Arizona teachers from around the state, along with staff and members of the Arizona Supreme Court, have created lesson plans, videos, activities and reading materials for teachers to use when they invite members of the Arizona judiciary into their classroom. The lessons link to all levels of the We The People textbook on the subject of the court system. There is a statewide information sheet included on who to contact to schedule a classroom visit. For further information, contact Jennifer at Jennifer.Nickason@azflse.org
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FREE Professional Development Opportunity!
You are invited to be one of only 24 teachers to attend the We The People: The Citizen & The Constitution 2006 Arizona Summer Institute
Date: June 7-14th
Cost: FREE!!
Location: Northern Arizona University
Teachers will be provided at no cost:
Room and board
Travel Stipend
Classroom set of We The People textbooks
Set of supplemental resource books
The Arizona Summer Institute is open to 4th-12th grade teachers of government, civics, or history. Teachers will participate in lectures given by Constitutional Scholars from around Arizona, learn about effective methods for using the We The People curriculum, which has been correlated to the Arizona Social Studies Standards, and participate in a simulated congressional hearing. Large group and small group work will provide teachers with an excellent networking opportunity. All of this and a week in the cool pines of Flagstaff at NO COST to teachers!
Click here to download an application:
Word Doc - 2006 WTP Arizona Summer Institute
PDF- 2006 WTP Arizona Summer Institute
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We The People: "The Citizen and The Constitution 2006 Summer Institute"
Vice-Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch assisted with teaching at the “The Citizen and The Constitution 2006 Summer Institute in Flagstaff this June. Fifteen educators from Arizona and surrounding states participated in the rigorous professional development program. The educators became students during the five day program and learned constitutional scholars from a variety of disciplines.
"We can’t express how much we appreciate the Vice-Chief Justice’s time to share her expertise," says Susan Nusall, Program Manager, "she, along with the other scholars are preparing these educators to go back and teach their students. Those students, then, will know our constitution and be better prepared for the Office of Citizenship. It is a tremendous gift to our state and nation."
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Dobson High School of Mesa Represents Arizona in Washington D.C
The first round of the national finals was held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, April 29 and 30. The competition involves entire classes making presentations and answering questions on constitutional topics before a panel of judges recruited from across the country. Constitutional scholars, lawyers, and government leaders, acting as congressional committee members, judged the students' performances. Arizona Supreme Court Justice Scott Bales was one of this years National Judges. The combined scores of the classes during the first two days of hearings determine which ten teams will compete in the championship round May 1 in Senate hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. That evening the winning classes receive awards at a special ceremony at the Omni Shoreham, Washington D.C.
The annual three-day final competition is the culminating activity of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, the most extensive civic education program of its kind in the country. The Dobson students have been working with their teacher, Shannon Sweat, since last fall studying We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution. The text provides students with a fundamental understanding of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.