March 1, 2005 > Team Irvington to Attend National Championship

by Ceri Hitchcock-Hodgson

On Feb. 4, Irvington High School's We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution team became California State Champions at State Finals in Sacramento. The competition is part of the national We the People challenge organized by the Center for Civic Education of Los Angeles and funded by the United States Department of Education. The program was created to commemorate the framing and adoption of the U.S. Constitution, encouraging educational curriculum based on the document.

Students participating in We the People must exhibit knowledge and comprehension of the Constitution. Participants discuss its relevance, citing court cases and historical fact to support their claims. Teams are then questioned by a panel of judges, who are experts in the Constitution and its relationship to current events.
Team Irvington, comprised of 24 students and two teachers, Cheryl Cook-Kallio and Steven Musto, began preparing themselves in November for the two-day event. Students averaged 20-25 hours of practice time per week in addition to their school work. Their hard work paid off as the team is heading to the Nationals in Washington D.C., April 28-May 3.

For more in formation on We the People, visit their website at www.wethepeople-wtp.org or contact Irvington High School at (510) 656-5711.