Parents

The 31st We the People National Finals looks forward to welcoming visitors from around the country. Every year more than 1,000  parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbors travel to Washington, D.C. to celebrate the accomplishment of these remarkable students. The following information will help you better understand and enjoy the competition and events.

Don't miss our two livestreams, which you can watch on the Center for Civic Education's Facebook page:

Monday Hearing Schedule (pdf)
Awards Ceremony: Monday, April 30 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Information Desk > Learn More
Hearing Rooms > Learn More
Student Briefing Room > Learn More
Parents and Visitors > Learn More
Awards Ceremony > Learn More

Saturday and Sunday

Every effort will be made to ensure that parents and visitors who have come to see a particular student testify will be seated in the room during that student’s unit hearing. Classes that have a large number of parents and visitors may have to devise rotation schedule. To ensure the hearings are not interrupted, parents and visitors will be admitted to the hearing room at appropriate break times between units.

To ensure fairness anyone affiliated with a competing class (teachers, coaches, students, chaperons, parents, friends, relatives, etc.) may not enter the hearing room of any other competing class. Once a class hearing is completed, floor supervisors and Center staff will help exit classes and visitors in a timely fashion.

Monday

The final round of competition will take place in hearing rooms in Capitol Hill. Hearing sessions are 10:00 am-1:00 pm and 2:00 pm-5:00 pm. Visitors do not need to register to observe Monday's hearings - there will be no Information Desk on Monday. Parents and guests can report directly to their assigned hearing room. All National Finals guests are welcome to observe the Top Ten hearings, with one important exception: Students testifying in the afternoon cannot attend morning hearings. The same rules applies to the team's teacher, parents, friends, and supporters. If you have any questions or concerns during the day, you may report to the Center's administative office at Cannon 121.

Hearing schedule (pdf)

Please Note: If hearing rooms are not available on Capitol Hill, the final round of competition will take place in hearing rooms at the National Conference Center. 

Student Orientation Room

The Student Orientation will he held in the Loudoun Room of the National Conference Center. On the Saturday and Sunday there will be a half hour briefing for all classes before the hearings begin. Robert Leming, Director of the We the People Programs and Mark Molli, Director of Governmental Relations will officially welcome students, teachers, parents, and visitors to the 31st We the People National Finals and address the students about important matters concerning the competition. Upon arrival floor supervisors and Center staff will direct students to the orientation room. Parents and visitors are welcome. At the end of the briefing, floor supervisors and Center staff will direct classes to their hearing rooms. Once all classes have been dismissed, parents and visitors will be directed to the hearing rooms.

Watch the livestream of the awards ceremony on the Center for Civic Education's Facebook page on Monday, April 30, beginning at 8:30 pm Eastern. Our special guest speaker is Miss America 2018, Cara Mund. The awards ceremony is the culminating event of the 31st We the People National Finals and a time to celebrate the accomplishments of all of the students and teachers participating in the competition will be held in the Ballroom of the National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia.