色花堂app

High school students enrolled in an on-campus dual enrollment course at 色花堂app took first place in the state 鈥淲e the People: The Citizen and the Constitution鈥� Mock Congressional Hearing Competition on Jan. 30. The team will travel to the nation鈥檚 capital in April to participate in the country-wide We the People competition.

We the People, a national program since 1987, promotes civic education and participation among high school students. Idaho State enrolled students in its first We the People course last fall, and since then, students have learned to apply the Constitution to our laws and lives.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to be able to vote when I turn 18 this year, so being able to have this amount of education and understand all the things that are going on, it鈥檚 super important to me,鈥� said Luke Bedell, a senior at Highland High School. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e able to affect governments and you鈥檙e participating, you know everything that you need to know.鈥�

Over the last six months, Idaho State鈥檚 We the People class has studied the U.S. Constitution with instructor Holly Kartchner to prepare for the state competition. Together, students wrote 18 papers addressing constitutional questions and practiced presentations with professors and members of the community.

Their efforts paid off in January, when they took first place at the state competition and qualified for nationals.

Preparing for the We the People competition, students said, taught them how to engage with the Constitution and actively participate in government. They also learned communication and teamwork skills they鈥檒l use throughout their careers.

鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have your team, you really don鈥檛 have anything,鈥� said Josie Neihart, a junior at Blackfoot High School. 鈥淵our team鈥檚 your foundation, and you can鈥檛 do it on your own.鈥�

As Idaho State鈥檚 We the People students practice for the national competition in D.C., they are also fundraising for the costs associated with attendance.

The team will host a tri-tip steak or chicken cordon bleu dinner fundraiser on March 28, with a raffle, games and live band. The event will take place at the Blackfoot Elks Lodge (123 N. Ash St.) at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 per plate. Kids鈥� meals with chicken nuggets are available for $8 per plate.鈥�

To purchase tickets to the dinner or donate items to the raffle, please contact Holly Kartchner at (208) 521-9162 or kartholl@isu.edu. Donations are also accepted and appreciated.

Taking the We the People course and attending competitions, said Highland High School senior Destini McKee, has instilled in students an awareness of why civic participation matters. She and her fellow students hope to grow that understanding even more in Washington, D.C.

鈥淲e definitely have a whole new generation of voters coming of age this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter what political party or what your beliefs are 鈥� what matters is that you have an active role in your government, and that鈥檚 what our nation鈥檚 founded on.鈥�