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Issues of Free Speech, Press and Supreme Court Addresses Animal Cruelty
Should the U.S. Update it's Voting System?
Toward a Federal 'Shield Law' for Journalists
NY Times Op Ed: Civic education
Who Will Own the 21st Century?

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CALIFORNIA’S WE THE PEOPLE FINAL SEMINAR OF
THE PROGRAM YEAR HELPS ENLIGHTEN TEACHERS ON THE VALUE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF
COMPARATIVE CONSTITUTIONS

May 13-15:
Twenty-one teachers along with two mentors and Scholar, Dr. J. Michael
Williams enjoyed and intense and exciting three days together looking at
the American Constitution from a comparative perspective. Held on the
beautiful University of San Diego campus, this was the 3rd in
a series of weekend seminars that the CA We the People program has held
this program year. Moving from the basic discussion on fundamentals of
a constitutional government through the drafting and ratifying process
used around the world, and closing with a case study on South Africa’s
Constitution, participants were asked to participate in rigorous
discussion, fascinating classroom activities, and a culminating activity
which asked them to design a constitution for a fictional country. As
one participant said “The Seminar did a superb job on activities and
scholarship. Enrichment activities such as this fuel my curriculum and
help me ask/think through issues.” The weekend seminars that were
held this year at both USD and UCI Law School were some of the most
highly rated professional development events that CA WTP has held in the
past five years. It is partnerships like these with outstanding
institutions of higher learning that has made California a leader if
civic education. With the challenges of funding being cut from the
Center for Civic Education’s We the People program, we do not know what
our professional development opportunities will look like in the future,
but please continue to check our website for future information and
opportunities. As another participant commented in their evaluation,
“This program is the reason I have become a teacher. Without programs
like this I don’t see my teaching experience being as rewarding.”

2011 SoCal Middle School Champions, Colina Middle School.
Southern California Middle School Finals
On Saturday, January 29th the Second Annual Southern California Middle
School Finals was held at the University of California, Irvine. With
five schools participating, over 150 students demonstrated their
in-depth knowledge of the Constitution defending their opinions and
ideas with historical and contemporary evidence. Participating schools
included Black Mountain Middle School from Poway; Colina Middle School
from Thousand Oaks; Roosevelt International Middle Baccalaureate from
San Diego; South Lake Middle School from Irvine and Sycamore Canyon
Middle School from Newbury Park. With four minute prepared statements,
followed by eight minutes of questioning by judges, students discussed
topics ranging from a republican form of government, our federal system,
and the right of due process. After an afternoon of discussion and
debate the following schools received awards for the highest achievement
in each unit:
Unit 1:
Sycamore Canyon Middle School
Unit 2:
Sycamore Canyon Middle School
Unit 3:
Colina Middle School
Unit 4:
South Lake Middle School
Unit 5:
Black Mountain Middle School
Unit 6:
Colina Middle School
"It's pretty magical watching the kids rise to the
challenge," said Shane Frank, principal of Colina Middle School. "It
shows the strength of the teacher and the students. The collaboration
works so well."
"I liked that I got to work extremely hard and show it off," said a
student from Colina. "I learned so much about the Constitution and it
was a great experience," she said.
In the end, Sycamore Canyon Middle School took third place overall,
while Black Mountain Middle School was runner-up to the 2011 Southern
California Middle School Champions....
Colina Middle School
Conejo Valley Unified School District
Ventura County
Congratulations to all the teachers, students and schools participating.
2011 California State Finals
2010 National Finals
http://pleasantonweekly.com/news/show_story.php?id=6779
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17978045?nclick_check=1
CALIFORNIA/NEVADA SUMMER INSTITUTE BRINGS 42 CIVIC
EDUCATORS TOGETHER IN SAN DIEGO!
July 6 to 12, University of San Diego: For the second time in the
past three years, the California and Nevada We the People, The Citizen
and the Constitution programs partnered up to bring together over 40
civic education teachers to the “chilly” city of San Diego for an
intense and rigorous study of America’s Constitution and Bill of Rights.
The institute was funded by a special grant provided by the Center for
Civic Education, who developed and manages the national We the People
program.
The professional development institute exposes participants to the works
of renowned scholars like Sue Leeson, Professor of Political Theory and
a former member of the Oregon Supreme Court and Scott Casper, Professor
of History at the University of Nevada, Reno and past Editor of the
William and Mary Quarterly.
Following the scholars, Mentor Teachers in the We the People program led
participants through the curriculum and modeled the pedagogical
strategies found in all levels of the program, elementary, middle
school, and high school. Each day ended with participants in their team
groups preparing for the simulated congressional hearing, the
foundational and culminating activity of the We the People program.
The highly acclaimed institute program received rave reviews from the
participants. Said one teacher from Nevada, “Sue Leeson and Scott Casper
were outstanding! I didn’t know teachers like that existed at the
college level.” Another teacher from California added that she
“appreciated that not only did I get great ideas for my classroom but I
also got invaluable information as a citizen.”
There is no doubt that the week was rigorous and by the end many
participants observed that they felt that their heads were heavy with
ideas, but a new community of civic educators was formed out of the
challenges of the week. The experience was best summarized by an
elementary teacher from southern California who said, “This was truly
the most exciting, best organized, helpful professional development I
have ever been to. From the scholars to the mentors to the staff’s
constant caring soul, it was on ongoing learning and sharing
experience.”
If you are interested in future professional opportunities with the
Center for Civic Education and the California and Nevada We the People
programs, please go to www.civiced.org
or check the events page at this website.
TO SEE MORE IMAGES FROM THE EVENT
Click Here

______________________________

A Good Day in Our Nations Capitol: Region 5 Coordinator Pam
Allender, along with co-coordinators for CA-29, Kim Allender and Irma
Hernandez Conrad meeting with Congressman Adam Schiff, one of many great
supporters in the House of Representatives from California that support
the We the People programs. This photo was taken while over 500 State
and District Coordinators were meeting in Washington D.C. during the
annual Center for Civic Education/We the People Coordinators Conference
in late June.
___________________________________
WE THE PEOPLE SHOWCASE HEARINGS: ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WOW PARENTS,
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND VOLUNTARY JUDGES THROUGHOUT STATE.
Nearly 1200 fifth grade students from three school districts in Northern
and Southern California expressed their constitutional knowledge and
skill in a series of Showcase events from May 19th to June 4th. This
level of participation is something that State Coordinator David
Richmond is extremely proud of and he believes that with the dedication
of California’s District Coordinators and Teachers, that the numbers of
5th grade students will continue to grow.

Students From Conejo Unified School District Participate
in Showcase Hearings at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Over 1000 students from both the Oak Park and Conejo Valley Unified
School Districts participated in the We the People Elementary Showcase
at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library during the
weeks of 24th and 31st. For these two weeks 5th grade students
participated in simulated Congressional Hearings before school and
community leaders. Testifying on the Founders beliefs about our natural
rights and the role of our current government and their responsibilities
as citizens of the United States, students worked in teams to share
their insight and knowledge. Recognized by California State Senator Tony
Strickland and Assemblywoman Audra Strickland, each student received a
certificate of recognition and achievement. Organized and Coordinated by
CA-24 District Coordinator and CVUSD Program Coordinator Kim Tetzlaff,
these hearings are the largest held in one venue in the entire United
States. Ms. Tetzlaff acknowledged the dedication of the teachers, the
support of the CVUSD administration and community and the partnership
with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation as the
primary reason for the tremendous success of the We the People program
in this area of the state. Community support member Richard Stein said
“The knowledge these children bring with them, their ability to reason
with constitutional issues, their knowledge of the founding principles
of our democracy and of the working of branches of government is
astounding when you realize how few adults understand any of this. We
are bringing along a generation of enlightened citizens in a challenging
world filled with fear and lack of understanding of others, and it was
an honor and privilege to be there. I was moved deeply. They bring with
them a sense of hope for the future.”

District Coordinator Jim Bentley and Elk Grove Teachers
Address Audience of Students and Parents
For one night only, the gymnasium and classrooms at Laguna Creek High
School were transformed into Capitol Hill when nearly 160 5th grade
students from Arnold Adreani and Foulks Ranch Elementary schools
participated in the Elk Grove Unified School District’s 2nd Annual
Simulated Congressional Hearings on May 19th. “The Hearings are a
culminating activity for the We the People, The Citizen and the
Constitution Program” said Mary Beth Kropp, principal at Foulks Ranch.
“This program teaches the principles and values of the Constitution and
Bill of Rights and also provides our students with a thorough
understanding of their rights and responsibilities as American
citizens.” The program was organized and coordinated by teacher and CA-3
District Coordinator Jim Bentley. Mr. Bentley, one of the nation’s lead
elementary mentor teachers praised his fellow teachers and the students
and believes that next year they will have 2-3 more classes of students
participating in the program. He also thanked the support of the other
coordinators in Region 1 and the Region Coordinator Dee Morgan for their
assistance and support.
_________________________________
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!
Arcadia High School and Teacher/Coach Kevin Fox
Receive the Gold Medal at the 23rd Annual
We the People, the Citizen and the Constitution National Finals!!
Congratulations to Mr. Fox, the Outstanding Students from Arcadia High,
and the Arcadia Community for Bringing Back the Championship To
California!!!
Check Out The Full Story Here
Congressional Statement

Arcadia High's California and National Championship Team -- Coach Kevin Fox
______________________________________

Meadowbrook Middle
School and Teacher Tina Shaw, First Annual SoCal We the People Middle
School Competition Gold Medal Winners
First Annual Southern California Middle School
We the People, The Citizen and the Constitution
Congressional Hearing Competition
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Feb. 20, 2010: Over 150 students from five schools throughout the
southland participated in the first annual We the People Southern
California competition. This event was the byproduct of California’s
State Coordinator, David Richmond, desire to build strong civic
education programs in every school in the Golden State. The event was
held at the beautiful and prestigious Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
in Simi Valley and was organized by Coordinators Kim Tetzlaff and Mike
Williams. Throughout the day, teachers, parents, and volunteers provided
rave reviews about the quality of the event.
Volunteer judges from throughout the state were extremely impressed with
the knowledge, poise, and skills that the students expressed. Alumni
Judge, David Pierucci, himself getting ready to attend law school,
commented that most of the hearing panels that he assessed would give
many of the high school teams that compete a run for their money. “I was
very impressed and somewhat overwhelmed by the historical and political
understanding that these young students shared. I believe that every
person who holds a legislative position in this country should sit down
with these students. They definitely would learn some important things.”
The five schools that earned an invitation to the Middle School event
were Colina Middle School, Thousand Oaks, 24th Congressional District,
Teacher Kris Olson; Van Avery Prep School, Temecula, 49th Congressional
District, Teacher Theresa Bolton; De Anza Middle School, Ontario, 43rd
Congressional District, Teacher Brent Heath; Los Cerritos Middle School,
24th Congressional District, Teacher Jamie Kay; Meadowbrook Middle
School, Poway, 52nd Congressional District, Teacher Tina Shaw.
Unit Awards
Unit I -- Colina Middle School
Unit II -- Meadowbrook Middle School
Unit III -- Colina Middle School
Unit IV -- Meadowbrook Middle School
Unit V -- Van Avery Prep
Unit VI -- Van Avery Prep
Team Results
Third Place, Bronze Medal: Van Avery Prep
Second Place, Silver Medal: Colina Middle School
First Place, Gold Medal: Meadowbrook Middle School
ALSO: In concert with the Middle School Hearings. 15 teachers
participated in a We the People Teacher Training at the Reagan Library
coordinated by Region 5 Coordinator Pam Allender, and presented by
Mentor Teachers Kim Allender and Terri Richmond. The teachers went
through the Unit I material on Political Theory and Foundations with
Presenter, Alumnus Neil Richmond, Graduate Student in Political
Philosophy and then were taken through the curriculum and presented with
teaching strategies. To culminate the training, the teachers were
invited to observe the Competitive Hearings so that they could see the
value of this assessment tool. Many of the participating teachers
commented that having the training and seeing the hearings on the same
day was invaluable to their understanding of the program and their
ability to implement in their classrooms.
California We the People
State Finals 2010 February 3-5
Sacramento, CA: Wednesday February 3rd to Friday February 5th, nearly
500 students, teachers, community volunteers, family and friends
converged on the Sacramento Hilton Arden West and the State Capitol to
participate and observe the finest exhibition of civic knowledge and
skills that this nation has to offer. According to State Coordinator
David Richmond “There is no academic competition that highlights student
knowledge of the Constitution and Bill of Rights than the California We
the People, The Citizen and the Constitution State Finals.
Twelve teams from around the state, representing the geographic,
socio-economic, and ethnic diversity of California met in Sacramento for
the 23rd Annual California State Finals. The first two rounds were held
at the Hilton Sacramento Arden West, and according to volunteer judge
Bob Warmack from Colorado, “The level of knowledge and skill that these
students show would be a great example to every legislative branch
across this great land.”
The program opened up on Wednesday night with Keynote Speaker Assembly
Majority Leader Alberto Torrico, and a surprise appearance by Assembly
member Joan Buchanan, who shared with the audience their joint
sponsorship of ACR 11, a California Civics Day for Teachers.
After an intense 7 hours of competition on Thursday, the twelve schools
were narrowed down to the final five, which would all compete on Friday
at the State Capitol. Also that night, Susan Piekarski, a graduate of
Amador Valley, 1999, and currently a teacher at Irvington High School,
was honored as the Alumni of the Year and addressed the students on how
facing failure is necessary in building stronger character and better
citizens.
Finally, on Friday, after an intense final round, the anxious crowd
gathered together at the Sacramento Hilton for the Awards ceremony.
Andrea Mello was awarded the 2010 Roy Erickson Memorial Award,
recognizing an individual who has given unselfishly to the California We
the People Program. Following this emotional event, Tac Craven, the
Chairman of the Board of Directors came to the stage to announce the
Unit winners and the State Champion who would be representing California
at the National Finals, April 23-26.
2010 State Finals Results
CONGRATULATIONS to the nearly 350 students and teachers who participated
in this years We the People state finals. It was said by all 44 judges
who participated this year that this was the toughest competition they
have been involved with and that it was extremely difficult to separate
out the teams.
Twelve schools, representing the geographic, socio-economic, and ethnic
diversity met at the Sacramento Arden West Hilton and the State Capitol
in Sacramento to determine which school would represent the Great State
of California at the National We the People Finals in April.
Here are the results:
Gold Medal: Arcadia High School, Arcadia
Silver Medal: Amador Valley HS, Pleasanton
Bronze Medal: Irvington High School, Freemont
Fourth Place: Foothill High School, Pleasanton
Fifth Place: Centennial High School, Bakersfield
Unit Awards
Unit 1: Galileo High School, San Francisco
Unit 2: Calvin Christian High School, Escondido
Unit 3: Martin Luther King Jr. HS, Riverside
Unit 4: Foothill High School, Bakersfield
Unit 5: Monta Vista HS, Cupertino
Unit 6: Arvin High School, Arvin
Congressman Kevin
McCarthy Visits Foothill WTP Class

Students listen as Congressman McCarthy discusses redistricting
On November 13th, Congressman Kevin McCarthy (CA22) visited
Terri Richmond’s We the People class in Bakersfield. The
Congressman and the students discussed economic issues, health care,
redistricting, and sentencing for juveniles. Student Chris Biezad
solicited the Congressman’s views on the unitary executive and how the
Framers might have felt. McCarthy expressed that the response to 9/11
required an expansion of executive power. When asked by student Bianca
Ramirez about the fact that CA 22 is a relatively “safe” district,
Congressman McCarthy expressed his desire for a more competitive
district, stating that people who “breathe the same air and drive the
same roads” have similar interests, regardless of party.

Horacio Cortes and
Gerardo Tellez get a little more information
Region 4: Bakersfield
College Hosts Annual WTP Scholars Night

Foothill student Bianca Ramirez waits for David
Richmond to call on her
On October 29th,
ten Kern county We the People teams met at Bakersfield College for their
annual Scholars Night, hosted by the Center for Kern Political
Education. The evening began with awards presentations for recently
retired Chief Public Defender, Mark Arnold, and Associate Superintendent
for Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Pat Alexander. Awards were
given by representatives of Congressmen McCarthy, Costa, and State
representatives Fuller and Ashburn. Then the students were led in an
examination of the case of Carey v. Musladin, concerning issues of the 1st
and 6th amendments. Terri Richmond, region 4 co-coordinator,
led the opening discussion, and then state coordinator David Richmond
engaged the crowd of over 250 students in a debate of the issues. After
the opening activity, students adjourned to their study rooms with their
unit scholars for approximately 90 minutes of work.
California Legislature votes to allow 17 year olds unrestricted voter registration
NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION
AB 30 (Youth Voter Registration) Heads to Governor's Desk
Sacramento, CA - The California legislature approved AB 30 (Price &
Swanson), a bill lowering the voter registration age to 17. If signed by
the Governor, this legislation could dramatically improve California's
alarmingly low voter participation rate for young voters. Almost half of
the eligible voters between 18 and 24 years of age were not registered
to vote in 2004 (the most recent year for which data is available).
AB 30 is based on a signature idea from the New America Foundation's
Political Reform Program. Steven Hill, director of the Political Reform
Program, said "registration is one of the largest barriers to voting.
Citizens often become energized by candidates or issue campaigns in the
last weeks of an election only to find they are not registered to vote."
AB 30 will create an option for young people who are 17 years or older
to pre-register to vote (sometimes known as "advance" registration).
When they turn 18, their registration will automatically become active.
This bill would allow young people to be involved in the democratic
process at an earlier age and make it more likely that they will remain
engaged as they become adults.
In addition, current state law says that anyone who is 17 years old is
eligible to pre-register if that individual will be 18 years old before
the next election. AB 30 would extend pre-registration to all 17 year
olds, making the treatment of 17 year olds uniform instead of having
some who are eligible to pre-register while others are not. That in turn
will make implementation of pre-registration more efficient and
streamlined, and should lead to less confusion.
"Research has demonstrated that developing good 'political engagement'
habits at a younger age will increase the likelihood of civic
participation as an adult," said Hill. "AB 30 will help break the
'disengagement cycle' that often prevents young people from developing
habits of participation that carry over into their adult years."
Allowing pre-registration of 17 year olds is a nonpartisan idea that has
been passed in both GOP states like Texas and Florida (where it was
signed into law by Florida governor Charlie Crist) and Democratic states
like Hawaii, as well as swing states like Iowa and Missouri. Eight
States have enacted pre-registration laws.
About the New America Foundation
The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy
institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next
generation of challenges facing the United States.
Media Contact
Liz Wu
(510) 295-9859
wu@newamerica.net
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