The primary goal of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is to promote civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s elementary and secondary students. What makes the program so successful is the design of its instructional program, including its innovative culminating activity.
The instructional program enhances students understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy. At the same time, students discover the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
The culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues.
The Center provides free professional-development opportunities for elementary, middle, high school educators, university and college professors, members of the legal community, We the People Programs state and congressional district coordinators, and youth organization leaders throughout the nation and in selected sites throughout the world.
Since the inception of the We the People program in 1987, more than 28 million students and 90 thousand educators have participated in this innovative course of study. Several studies by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Professor Richard Brody, Stanford University, indicate that students who used the curriculum "significantly outperformed comparison students" on every topic studied. A recent study, conducted by the independent firm RMC Research Corporation, found that students using the curriculum scored significantly higher on a comprehensive test of political knowledge when compared to their peers in comparison classes as well as university students attending political science courses. The program enjoys the active participation of members of Congress, as well as support from professional, business, and community organizations across the nation. Program participants can maintain contact with the Center and with one another through the We the People Alumni Network.
| Announcements: | | American Lawyers Auxiliary Teacher of the Year Awards
Entry Deadline April 15, 2010For more than forty years, the American Lawyers Auxiliary has been active in
its support of public education, citizenship awareness, and other service
programs. Recognizing the vital role that teachers play in law-related
education, the Auxiliary continues to sponsor its Law-Related Education
Teacher of the Year Award to honor teachers who have made significant
contributions in the area of law-related education. Nominations for the
2010 Law Related Education Teacher of the Year may be made by a school
administrator, coordinator, director, teacher, student, or any other interested
party. For full information, click here. |
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We the People in the News |
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Students Learn Hands-On About the Constitution
TheDenverChannel.com - Jan 01, 2010
Thanks to volunteers like Denver lawyer Les Volpe, students across
America gain a greater knowledge of and appreciation for the U.S.
Constitution. Volpe has served as a We the People: The Citizen and the
Constitution judge for more than 20 years.
“He has just brought our level of understanding overall up a notch and
it is great to have him with us," said Coulter Freyre, a junior at
Denver’s East High.
"When you compete it is like having a conversation with him. You feel
formal but it is also very relaxed," said junior Maggie Bailey.
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Center for Civic Education 
