Houston High School students joined about 250 of their peers from 16 Missouri high schools for the 2015 Constitution Project, which kicked off Sept. 22 in Jefferson City.
Now in its third year statewide, the Constitution Project is an intensive, hands-on competition that engages students in investigating a mock crime scene, reporting about the crime and the case as it progresses, culminating in a mock trial – all under the mentoring of local professionals in the fields of crime scene investigation, journalism and trial advocacy. It is led by its founder, Texas County Associate Circuit Judge Doug Gaston, who nicknamed this year’s competition the “Constitution Revolution.”
HHS has been involved since the project’s inception and is in the field again this year.
The kickoff festivities began with students meeting in their various competition teams with the leaders in the fields. They then gathered in the House Chamber for opening ceremonies followed by mock legislative debates about a bill proposing to lower the voting age to 16. Students learned the basics of procedure and etiquette on the floor from Rep. Robert Ross (R-Yukon) and Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia). Students from each school rose to be recognized to speak about the bill, while other students rotated through serving as the speaker of the House or president pro tem of the Senate.
The day culminated in closing ceremonies held in the House Chamber for the closing ceremonies. Missouri Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge thanked the students, their teachers and all the volunteers for their participation in this year’s Constitution Project competition. She told the story of former American Bar Association president, Stephen Zack, who fled the Cuban revolution as a teenager and who keeps a copy of the old Cuban Constitution that was nearly identical to the United States Constitution as a reminder that “words on paper are not enough” to protect our personal rights and way of life.
“We need to value the gift of the Constitution that was given to us by our Founding Fathers,” Breckenridge said. “We value the Constitution when we experience it and understand how it works in everyday life to protect our rights and preserve our way or life. The Constitution Project is set up to allow you to have personal experience with the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.”
Participants also heard from Vietnam veteran Don Hentges, who told them of a friend who died on the battlefield.
“I made him a promise that what he did would not be forgotten,” Hentges said. “He died so you would be able to make the most of the opportunities our system has provided you.”
Students selected from each school then read – many with great passion – famous passages from national leaders such as Patrick Henry, Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy Jr. and Susan B. Anthony.
The field this year is split into four regions:
•West: Father Tolton Regional Catholic (Columbia), School of the Osage (Osage Beach), Smith-Cotton (Sedalia) and University Academy (Kansas City).
•East: Cardinal-Ritter College Prep (St. Louis), Fulton, North Technical (Florissant) and St. James.
•Southwest: Bolivar, Camdenton, Logan-Rogersville (Rogersville) and Nixa.
•South-central: Dixon, Houston, Rolla and West Plains.
Six of the teams are participating for the first time: Bolivar, Fulton, North Tech, Rolla, Smith-Cotton and University Academy. Teams were selected based on school district excellence, capability in teaching the three disciplines of the competition and student aptitude. In addition, chosen communities demonstrated pledge commitments from the school, local judges, law enforcement, media and attorneys.
“We are thrilled to have so many outstanding students from these excellent schools competing in the Constitution Project this year,” Gaston said. “In addition, the selection of these schools means that many professionals in their communities have pledged to volunteer their time and talents to mentor students about their profession and the importance of our constitution to the nation. We are so proud of and grateful to them and our schools, and we are excited to kick off this fall’s competition.”
Winners will be named at the team and individual level for each discipline. Individual award winners will receive $1,000 scholarships from sponsoring organizations.
The HHS trial advocacy team will be mentored by attorney Kim Lowe, while the journalists will be guided by Houston Herald editor Jeff McNiell and the crime scene investigators by retired Houston Police Chief Jim McNiell. Many other local professionals will also volunteer their time to help in the project.
Statewide cosponsors of the project include the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Sheriff’s Association, Missouri Police Chiefs Association, Missouri Press Association, Missouri Broadcasters Association and The Missouri Bar.
Missouri’s Constitution Project is a civics education event sponsored by the Supreme Court of Missouri’s committee on civic education. More information about the project and the field of 2015 competitors is available online at www.courts.mo.gov/civiceducation/pages/const_proj_2015_competitors.html.