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Kentucky Court of Justice
Highlands High School is state champ in We the People competition for 5th year in a row
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- For the fifth year in a row, Highlands High School in Fort Thomas has won the state championship for the We the People … The Citizen and the Constitution civic education competition. The Highlands High team prevailed over four other high schools to earn the honor of competing for the national title in Washington, D.C., April 25-27.
Highlands’ winning team members are Caleb Bardgett, Joey Baumer, Alescia Bjelland, Justin Brandt, Ashley Cole, Elizabeth Donelan, Abbi Gosney, Chelsea Haas, Drew Lehmkuhl, Stephanie Leonard, Sarah Marnell, Molly McCafferty, Clinton McIntosh, Kaysie McIntyre, Hannah Neinaber, Regan Noppenberger, Ellen Remley, Jessica Roettger, Kody Rosenhagen, Stephanie Scott, Abbi Secter, Marcus Segura, Ian Stokes, Elizabeth Tucker, Lauren Vara and Caroline Wendling. The team coaches are Highlands High School Principal Brian Robinson and teacher Megan Boimann-Hennies.
The state competition, which took place Feb. 16 at Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Lexington, hosted five teams that had advanced from the district level – Calloway County High School in Murray, Henry County High School in New Castle, Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Muhlenberg South High School in Greenville and Ohio County High School in Hartford. Ohio County High School was the runner-up. Monticello Middle School participated as a non-competitive team (the state competition is for high schools only).
Presenters of trophies and other awards at a banquet after the competition were Secretary of State Trey Grayson; Justice Mary C. Noble of the Supreme Court of Kentucky; Director Jason Nemes of the Administrative Office of the Courts; Deborah Williamson, executive officer of the AOC Department of Court Services; and Earl Kuhnell, state coordinator for We the People and other Center for Civic Education programs. Secretary Grayson, Justice Noble and Nemes were also among the judges for the competition.
“It was one of the most refreshing, encouraging events I have attended in years,” said Justice Noble, who judged the competition for the first time this year. “It was apparent that everyone on the project really wanted it to be a good experience for the kids and that they all worked very hard to see it succeed. I was so impressed with the level of study the kids displayed. Too many times we hear of the problems kids have and too little is heard of their successes. This program gave these students the chance to learn about their government in a way that was challenging but fun. Those teams that are veterans of the competition really have made an investment in study and it is obvious that they have a new understanding and respect for their government and their role as a citizen.”
The Kentucky Court of Justice and the Center for Civic Education in California are co-sponsors of the We the People … the Citizen and the Constitution program. This nationally acclaimed civic education program for high school students was created by the Center for Civic Education to promote the history and philosophy of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Students demonstrate their knowledge by competing in a mock congressional hearing. The exercise requires them to use their understanding of constitutional principles to defend positions on historical and contemporary issues. An entire class must compete, with teams of three to five students making a presentation on each of the program’s six units. Students compete before a panel of judges who independently score the performances in each unit. The high school with the highest overall score for all six units is declared the winner.
AOC Director Nemes said he was appreciative of those who assisted with the competition.
“Programs like We the People develop our young people into the leaders of tomorrow,” he said. “We could not have pulled off this important competition for them without the efforts of all those involved, including judges, facilitators, timekeepers, scorers and especially the dedicated individuals who are the backbone of this program at the AOC year round – Earl Kuhnell and Deb Williamson.”
We the People is one of the many youth-related programs offered through the Division of Law Related Education at the AOC in Frankfort.
“We are pleased that program veterans Dr. Deborah Williamson and Earl Kuhnell from the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts are involved in the administration of center programs,” said Robert Leming, national director of the We the People … The Citizen and the Constitution program. “The center has enjoyed vigorous, long-standing support from the Kentucky Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Minton, and many judges throughout the state, such as the Honorable Sara Combs, chief judge of the Court of Appeals, and the Honorable Gregory T. Popovich, Campbell District Court. We the People provides young people in Kentucky with an opportunity to develop a better understanding of the principles that underlie our constitutional democracy. I encourage teachers to take advantage of free training opportunities and sets of material.”
Senior Judge Marc I. Rosen said he was happy to support the program this year as a competition judge for the first time.
“It was an honor to be asked to help judge the program and a pleasure to be able to participate,” Judge Rosen said. “We the People is not only beneficial to our legal system, but also prepares future leaders in all branches of government. We the People is one of the best programs available nationally to help our youth better understand the United States Constitution and its ties to our existence and purpose as Americans. I look forward to receiving my invitation to judge again next year.”
The AOC is the operational arm of the Kentucky Court of Justice and supports the activities of 4,000 court system employees, including the elected offices of justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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