Valley high school students gear up for constitutional competition

By Dylan Scott

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010 | 4:45 p.m.

This Saturday, as many of their classmates might just be waking, Clark County high school students will instead take their seats at a Congressional-style hearing at this year’s “We the People” district finals at Basic High School in Henderson.

The competition, which began in 1987, pits groups of high school seniors against one another as they debate the issues of the day before judges -- who include actual judges and prominent attorneys -- serving as a mock Congressional panel.

First prize earns a trip to the Nevada state finals in February, where students will have a chance to advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C., in April. Topics are often pulled from newspaper headlines: The Transportation Security Administration’s “enhanced security measures,” the expansion of presidential power and the stimulus package are just a few items on the docket this year.

Brock Norred, a senior at Clark High School, one of seven schools participating, said he “always likes a challenge.” And he’s found one. Classes are divided into six groups, which cover six units of the textbook “We the People… The Citizen and the Constitution.” Each group must then be prepared to answer three questions at Saturday’s debate, not knowing which one they will be asked.

“The workload is heavy,” Norred said with a laugh. In recent weeks, Clark’s students stayed late after school and met on the weekends to perfect their talking points, senior Vivian Zhou, Norred’s teammate, said.

A lover of history, Zhou said she saw a unique opportunity in the program.

“Instead of just memorizing the facts and taking tests, I thought maybe I could actually use it and work toward a goal,” said Zhou, whose group focused on the evolution of the Constitution. “This is the first class I’ve ever taken where it doesn’t really count on worksheets and paperwork, but counts on dedication and actually learning the material.”

In the fall, students dove into the material, fine-tuned their arguments and prepared for potential cross-examinations by their opponents. According to the program’s format, each group gives a four-minute speech defending a position on the given topic, and then judges have a chance to poke holes in the argument with their own lines of questioning.

That’s where the teamwork makes a difference, Norred said, adding that it was important to “jump in and save them. Don’t let your teammates struggle.”

“You win as a team, and you lose as a team,” Zhou said. On Saturday, Clark will clash with students from Canyon Springs, College of Southern Nevada West and Shadow Ridge in the Congressional District 1 competition. Basic, Bishop Gorman and Boulder City will fight for the Congressional District 3 title.

Julia Arredondo, a senior at College of Southern Nevada West, said she’d be “disappointed in myself” if her class doesn’t have a good showing. At a practice session recently, she said the students had been dumbfounded when grilled by their parents, who posed as judges.

After hearing how prepared other schools were, Arredondo said she and her classmates re-dedicated themselves. She’s read and watched as much news as she can, she said.

“The competitiveness has definitely spiked. Everyone has been on top of their game,” she said. “We’ve been reading the same chapters, writing the same speeches for months.”

Clark High School “We the People…” instructor Amy Evers said her favorite moments are watching students who are actively learning -- not always the norm in high school classrooms.

“I like that it makes them think outside the box. It brings a new dimension,” said Evers, who has taught at Clark for two years. “I’m beyond impressed. As a teacher, I’m almost honored to work with students like this.”

Opening ceremonies, led by U.S. District Judge Philip Pro, begin at 9:30 a.m.