Southern Indiana teams win championship trophies in national civics competition

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Indiana high school teams swept the 2014 We the People competition, bringing home first place trophies to both Brown and Floyd counties.

Brown County Junior High School was crowned the national champion of the 2014 We the People National Invitational for middle schools for the second year in a row.

“It’s very big news,” said Gavin Steele, assistant principal. “We’re very excited.”

The team from Floyd Central High School in southern Indiana placed first in the We the People National Invitational for high schools. Floyd Central has had a team participate in state competitions for about eight years, but this was the first time the team has gone to nationals.

“We will definitely celebrate this,” said Janie Whaley, Floyd Central principal.

The Brown County team left April 4 for the We the People civics competition in Washington, D.C., where they matched their skills and knowledge against other teams from across the United States. After successfully navigating the opening rounds of the competition during the weekend, the Indiana group – dubbed the Brown County Weeples – competed in the final round Monday.
 
Coached by social studies teacher Michael Potts and Brown County Prosecutor James Oliver, the 24-member team is comprised of 8th grade students who prepare for the WTP competition as part of their constitution class.

Brown County Junior High School won the 2013 civics championship, the first time the We the People program held a national competition for middle schools.

Suzanne Moss, social studies teacher at Floyd Central, coached that school’s high school team and, according to Whaley, local attorneys assisted by coming to the practice sessions to quiz the students. Whaley said local law firms made donations to help the Floyd Central team fund the trip to Washington.  

 

 

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