Students from Provo School District's Centennial Middle School brought home their seventh straight state title in the "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution" Junior High state finals competition where the school earned the overall top score. Competing as a class, the students are part of Centennial's honors program. They are enrolled in American Studies, an eighth grade class combining the study of English and U.S. History for honors students.
The competition was in the form of a congressional hearing; the students were required to demonstrate their knowledge of the principles taught in the Constitution.
The students were divided into six units and assigned topics related to Constitutional issues such as federalism, freedom of religion, and constitutional restrictions on governmental power. Centennial students each memorized their own portion of a speech, relayed it to a panel of judges, and, with a firm understanding of the Constitution and our nation's history, answered questions from the judges.
"We've worked so hard and had some amazing class discussions," said Caroline Baird, who served as the leader of her group. "I love being in a class like this that challenges me and gives me an opportunity to show what I have learned."
