Indiana schools competing for Indiana’s prestigious We the People state title

More than 500 middle and high school students will participate this week in the Indiana Bar Foundation’s We the People state competition.

We the People is a curriculum-based national program that has been around for 30 years and helps students better understand the U.S. Constitution.

Tim Kalgreen, director of Civic Education for the Indiana Bar Foundation, said hundreds of schools across the state use the curriculum.

“It’s amazing to watch these high school students, middle school students, elementary students really understand what our constitution is, what it means, how the government works,” Kalgreen said.

Kalgreen said the impact is tremendous.

“Using our entire curriculum –  when you look at teachers who come to our professional development workshops, participate in the program that receive the curriculum – the impact across the state, you’re talking upwards of ten thousand students that are impacted in some way with this curriculum,” Kalgreen said.

The congressional-style hearing competition will conclude with state finals on Wednesday in Indianapolis. The high school champion will represent the state in the We the People National Finals this spring.

The middle school classes will also have the opportunity to advance to the We the People National Invitational competition later this year.

Contact WFYI Morning Edition newscaster and reporter Taylor Bennett at tbennett@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @TaylorB2213.