We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals, sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, is a yearly competition involving high school students from throughout the United States. The national finals simulates a congressional hearing and is held at the National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia, and in congressional hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. Each class is divided into six units, each composed of three to six students. Each unit focuses on a particular area of Constitutional interest - from the philosophical underpinnings and Constitutional Convention to the Bill of Rights and modern day implications. Students are judged on criteria such as their understanding, reasoning, responsiveness, and use of constitutional applications. In preparation for the national finals, classes learn about government and study the Constitution and Bill of Rights. In each class the six unit groups prepare four-minute opening statements in response to three congressional hearing questions. Afterwards, judges ask students follow-up questions to test the depth of their knowledge on the topic in a six-minute question and answer period. During the national finals over 1,200 students from 56 classes testify before a total of 72 judges, in panels of three. The judges are history, political science, law, and education professors, members of the legal community, and others with a knowledge of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. To qualify for the national finals, a class must win its state championship or qualify as a "wild card" class. The national finals takes place over three days, with the top twelve classes from the first two days advancing to the final round of competition in hearing rooms on Capitol Hill. At the national finals, each unit testifies on two hearing questions during the first two days of competition. The classes with the twelve highest combined scores advance to the final round on the third day. The top twelve places are determined by combining the scores from the first two days and a weighted final round score. Each year nearly $2,000,000 is raised in communities throughout the United States to support the national finals. According to the Center for Civic Education, "Since the inception of the We the People program in 1987, more than 28 million students and 90 thousand educators have participated in the program and more than 30,000 students have participated in the national finals."

2023 results

The 2023 national competition was held in person for the first time since 2019 ** National Winners ** 1st Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond 2nd Place: Oregon - Grant High School - Portland 3rd Place: California - Foothill High School - Pleasanton ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Colorado - Denver East High School - Denver 5th Place: Wisconsin - Wauwatosa West High School - Wauwatosa 6th Place: Oregon (Wild Card) - Lincoln High School - Portland 7th Place: Washington - Tahoma High School - Maple Valley 8th Place: Connecticut - Trumbull High School - Trumbull 9th Place: California (Wild Card) - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton 10th Place: Arizona - Mountain View High School - Mesa ** Division Winners ** Division A: Indiana - Fishers High School - Fishers Division B: Virginia (Wild Card) - Douglas S. Freeman High School - Henrico Division C: Nevada (Wild Card) - Reno High School - Reno Division D: Nevada - Edward C. Reed High School - Sparks ** Unit Awards ** Unit 1: Connecticut (Wild Card) - Staples High School - Wesport Unit 2: Michigan - East Kentwood High School - Kentwood Unit 3: Massachusetts - Easthampton High School - Easthampton Unit 4: North Carolina - Raleigh Charter High School - Raleigh Unit 5: Kentucky - Highlands High School - Fort Thomas Unit 6: Arizona (Wild Card) - Hamilton High School - Chandler

2022 results

The 2022 national competition was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ** National Winners ** 1st Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton 2nd Place: Indiana - Fishers High School - Fishers 3rd Place: Virginia (Wild Card) - Douglas S Freeman High School - Henrico ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: California (Wild Card) - Foothill High School - Pleasanton 5th Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond 6th Place: Oregon - Grant High School - Portland 7th Place: Colorado - Denver East High School - Denver 8th Place: Washington - Tahoma High School - Maple Valley 9th Place: Wisconsin - Wauwatosa West High School - Wauwatosa 10th Place: Connecticut - Trumbull High School - Trumbull 11th Place: Massachusetts - Easthampton High School - Easthampton 12th Place: Nevada - Reno High School - Reno ** Division Winners ** Division A: Illinois - Maine South High School - Park Ridge Division B: Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School - Vestavia Hills Division C: Oregon (Wild Card) - Central Catholic High School - Portland Division D: Wyoming - Sheridan High School - Sheridan ** Unit Awards ** Unit 1: Michigan - East Grand Rapids High School - Grand Rapids Unit 2: Wisconsin (Wild Card) - Wauwatosa East High School - Wauwatosa Unit 3: New Hampshire - Milford High School - Milford Unit 4: Nevada (Wild Card) - West Career and Technical Academy - Las Vegas Unit 5: New Jersey - East Brunswick High School - East Brunswick Unit 6: Utah - Green Canyon High School & Sky View High School - North Logan & Smithfield

2021 results

The 2021 national competition was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ** National Winners ** 1st Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond 2nd Place: Oregon - Grant High School - Portland 3rd Place: Nevada - Reno High School - Reno ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Wisconsin - Wauwatosa West High School - Wauwatosa 5th Place: Arizona - Mountain View High School - Mesa 6th Place: California (Wild Card) - Foothill High School - Pleasanton 7th Place: California - Irvington High School - Fremont 8th Place: Nevada (Wild Card) - Incline High School - Incline Village 9th Place: Connecticut (Wild Card) - Trumbull High School - Trumbull 10th Place: Washington - Tahoma High School - Maple Valley 11th Place: Indiana - Hamilton Southeastern High School - Fishers 12th Place: Arizona (Wild Card) - Hamilton High School - Chandler ** Division Winners ** Division A: Massachusetts - Easthampton High School - Easthampton Division B: Michigan - East Grand Rapids High School - Grand Rapids Division C: Wisconsin (Wild Card) - Wauwatosa East High School - Wauwatosa Division D: Colorado - Denver East High School - Denver ** Unit Awards ** Unit 1: New Jersey - East Brunswick High School - East Brunswick Unit 2: Nebraska - Lincoln East High School - Lincoln Unit 3: Oregon (Wild Card) - Cleveland High School - Portland Unit 4: Connecticut - Staples High School - Westport Unit 5: Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School - Vestavia Hills Unit 6: North Carolina - Raleigh Charter High School - Raleigh ==2020 results == The 2020 national competition was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ** National Winners ** 1st Place: Massachusetts - Easthampton High School - Easthampton 2nd Place: Oregon - Lincoln High School - Portland 3rd Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond ** Division Winners ** Best team that did not place in the top 3, from each of 4 regions Division A: Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School - Vestavia Hills Division B: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton Division C: Connecticut - Staples High School - Westport Division D: Nevada - Reno High School - Reno ** Unit Awards ** Highest unit scores from schools that were not national winners nor division winners. Unit 1: Washington - Tahoma High School - Maple Valley Unit 2: New Jersey - East Brunswick High School - East Brunswick Unit 3: Nevada (Wild Card) - Incline High School Unit 4: Oregon (Wild Card) - Grant High School - Portland Unit 5: Illinois - Maine South High School - Park Ridge Unit 6: Montana - Laurel High School - Laurel ==2019 results == ** National Winners ** 1st Place: Colorado - Denver East High School - Denver 2nd Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton 3rd Place: Oregon (Wild Card) - Grant High School - Portland ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Oregon - Lincoln High School - Portland 5th Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond 6th Place: Virginia (Wild Card) - Douglas S Freeman High School - Henrico 7th Place: Indiana - Hamilton Southeastern High School - Fishers 8th Place: Indiana (Wild Card) - Fishers High School - Fishers 9th Place: Washington - Tahoma High School - Maple Valley 10th Place: Michigan (Wild card) - Black River Public School - Holland ** Unit Awards ** Highest unit scores from schools that were not national winners nor division winners. Unit 1: Utah - Sky View High School/Green Canyon High School - Smithfield Unit 2: Massachusetts - Easthampton High School - Easthampton Unit 3: Illinois - Maine South High School - Park Ridge Unit 4: Nevada (Wild Card) - Incline High School - Incline Village Unit 5: Wisconsin (Wild Card) - Wauwatosa East High School - Wauwatosa Unit 6: Arizona - Mountain View High School - Mesa

2018 results

** National Winners ** 1st Place: Oregon - Grant High School - Portland 2nd Place: California (Wild Card) - Foothill High School - Pleasanton 3rd Place: Oregon (Wild Card) - Lincoln High School - Portland ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton 5th Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond 6th Place: Colorado - Denver East High School - Denver 7th Place: Washington - Tahoma High School - Maple Valley 8th Place: Indiana - Fishers High School - Fishers 9th Place: Illinois - Maine South High School - Park Ridge 10th Place: Wisconsin - Wauwatosa West High School - Wauwatosa ==2017 results == ** National Winners ** 1st Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond 2nd Place: Oregon - Grant High School - Portland 3rd Place: Indiana - Cathedral High School - Indianapolis ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Indiana (Wild Card) - Plainfield High School - Plainfield 5th Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton 6th Place: Virginia (Wild Card) - Douglas S. Freeman High School - Henrico 7th Place: Colorado - Denver East High School - Denver 8th Place: Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School - Vestavia Hills 9th Place: Michigan - East Grand Rapids High School - East Grand Rapids 10th Place: Illinois - Maine South High School - Park Ridge ==2016 results == ** National Winners ** 1st Place: Oregon - Lincoln High School - Portland 2nd Place: Colorado - Denver East High School - Denver 3rd Place: Oregon (Wild Card) - Grant High School - Portland ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School- Vestavia Hills 5th Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies - Richmond 6th Place: Indiana - Fishers High School - Fishers 7th Place: California - Arcadia High School - Arcadia 8th Place: Connecticut - Trumbull High School - Trumbull 9th Place: Washington - Tahoma Senior High School - Covington 10th Place: New Jersey - East Brunswick High School - East Brunswick

2015 results

** National Winners ** 1st Place: Oregon - Grant High School - Portland 2nd Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School - Richmond 3rd Place: Virginia (Wild Card) - Douglas S Freeman High School - Henrico ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Washington - Tahoma Senior High School- Covington 5th Place: Alabama - Vestavia Hills High School- Vestavia Hills 6th Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton 7th Place: Nevada - Edward C. Reed High School- Sparks 8th Place: Michigan - East Grand Rapids High School - Grand Rapids 9th Place: New Jersey - East Brunswick High School - East Brunswick 10th Place: Indiana - Munster High School - Munster ** Unit Awards ** Unit 2: Wisconsin- Wauwatosa West High School- Wauwatosa Unit 4: California- Arcadia High School- Arcadia Unit 5: Arizona - Corona del Sol High School - Tempe

2014 results

** National Winners ** 1st Place: Oregon -Lincoln High School - Portland 2nd Place: California - Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton 3rd Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School - Richmond ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Indiana- Fishers High School- Fishers 5th Place: Alabama- Vestavia Hills High School- Vestavia Hills 6th Place: Michigan- East Grand Rapids High School- Grand Rapids 7th Place: Colorado- Grandview High School- Aurora 8th Place: Illinois- Maine South High School- Park Ridge 9th Place: Arizona- Corona del Sol- Tempe 10th Place: New Mexico- Highland High School- Albuquerque ** Unit Awards ** Unit 2: Wisconsin- Wauwatosa West High School- Wauwatosa Unit 3: New Jersey- East Brunswick High School- East Brunswick

2013 results

** National Winners ** 1st Place: Oregon-Grant High School-Portland 2nd Place: California- Amador Valley High School-Pleasanton 3rd Place: Colorado-Denver East High School-Denver ** Honorable Mentions ** 4th Place: Alabama- Vestavia Hills High School- Vestavia Hills 5th Place: Indiana- Cathedral High School- Indianapolis 6th Place: Arizona- Corona del Sol High School- Tempe 7th Place: Washington- Tahoma Senior High School- Covington 8th Place: Connecticut- Trumbull High School- Trumbull 9th Place: Illinois- Maine South High School- Park Ridge 10th Place: Indiana (Wild Card)- Plainfield High School- Plainfield

2012 results

** National Winners ** 1st Place: Oregon-Lincoln High School-Portland 2nd Place: Virginia - Maggie L. Walker Governor's School 3rd Place: California - Arcadia High School-Arcadia **4th Place: **New Jersey - East Brunswick High School **5th Place: **Indiana - Munster High School **9th Place: **North Carolina - Northwest Guilford High School **10th Place: **Illinois - Maine South High School

2011 results

** National Winners ** 1st Place: Virginia Maggie L. Walker Governor's School 2nd Place: California Amador Valley High School 3rd Place: New Jersey East Brunswick High School ** Honorable Mention ** (top ten) 4th Place: Alabama Vestavia Hills High School 5th Place: Michigan East Grand Rapids High School 6th Place: Colorado 7th Place: Oregon 8th Place: North Carolina 9th Place: Illinois 10th Place: Indiana Munster High School ** Unit Awards ** Best non-finalist team for expertise in each unit of competition Unit 1: Missouri Unit 2: Rhode Island Unit 3: South Dakota Unit 4: New York Unit 5: Washington Unit 6: Kansas ** Regional Awards ** Best non-finalist team from each region Western States: Alaska Mountains/Plains States: New Mexico Central States: Kentucky Southeastern States: South Carolina Northeastern States: Connecticut

2010 results

** National Winners ** 1st Place: California - Arcadia High School (Arcadia, California) 2nd Place: Alabama 3rd Place: Virginia ** Honorable Mention ** (top ten) 4th Place: Oregon 5th Place: Colorado 6th Place: New Jersey 7th Place: Florida 8th Place: Indiana 9th Place: Westminster Christian Academy, St. Louis, Missouri 10th Place: Wisconsin ** Unit Awards ** Best non-finalist team for expertise in each unit of competition Unit 1: Utah Unit 2: Connecticut Unit 3: Arizona Unit 4: Vermont Unit 5: Washington Unit 6: Alaska ** Regional Awards ** Best non-finalist team from each region Western States: Nevada Mountains/Plains States: New Mexico Central States: Michigan Southeastern States: North Carolina Northeastern States: New York

2009 results

** National Winners' Awards ** 1st Place: Colorado 2nd Place: Alabama 3rd Place: California ** Honorable Mention ** (top ten) 4th Place: Virginia New Jersey Indiana Florida Oregon Michigan Connecticut ** Unit Awards ** Best non-finalist team for expertise in each unit of competition Unit 1: Nevada Unit 2: New York Unit 3: New Hampshire Unit 4: Alaska Unit 5: Wisconsin Unit 6: Texas ** Regional Awards ** Best non-finalist team from each region Western States: Arizona Mountains/Plains States: New Mexico Central States: Missouri Southeastern States: North Carolina Northeastern States: Vermont

2012 National Competition

2011 National Competition

2010 National Competition

2009 National Competition

2008 National Competition

2007 National Competition

2006 National Competition

2005 National Competition

2004 National Competition

2003 National Competition

National Champions