On the Road to Nationals
Members of the Constitution team begin to give their prepared speech to the audience in the courtroom.
Washington D.C. is where the most important documents in U.S. history resides. It’s the heart of American government, the home of Congress, the Supreme Court and the White House. It is also the place where 36 Lincoln students will be part of history, again.
The stakes are high for the 2016 Lincoln Constitution Team at the National competition in April. They follow in the footsteps of a five Cardinal teams that have won the top award. Somehow, the pressure isn’t immediately apparent in their first-period classroom as they practice for the competition.
The team’s 11 different coaches consist of lawyers and teachers, one of whom is Lincoln teacher George Ten Eyck. He juggles the logistics of this team and helps the students manage their stress. The long nights and days of practicing allow the students to feel comfortable before competing. Ten Eyck says, “They just have to do their best and they can’t control anything else. They can only control themselves which is really cool to see.”
Everyone must memorize all the articles and amendments of the U.S. Constitution. Each group has a focus. Piper Kizziar, a sophomore on the team, explains how the students are split up into groups.
“We are unit one so that deals with the origins of the Constitution. We go back to ancient Greece and Rome and Magna Carta,” Kizziar says.
The biggest draw is the ability to go in depth on important aspects of America’s history in one document. Amelia Diana, a sophomore on the Constitution team, talks about another benefit for being on the team.
“My favorite thing would probably be the fact that we get to meet so many different people and you get to experience so many different things,” she says.
As this year’s team prepares for Nationals, the program is also recruiting for the 2016-17 team. Informational meetings are at lunch on Feb. 23 and 25 in room 169. The applications are due on March 2.
It is impressive to watch the team’s fast responses to questions relating to all things Constitutional. An onlooker feels like part of a political campaign or at a White House meeting. Lincoln High School can’t wait to see the team’s Washington performance on April 21-27, but also what branch of government each of the students may eventually be leading.
