In April 2023, Nova Middle School’s mock congressional hearing team emerged victorious at the We The People Mock Congressional Hearing National Invitational held in Washington D.C.
Over 40 teams participated, but the 35-student team from Nova Middle School impressed the judges with their excellent performance in 12 different mock congressional hearings about the Constitution and its application in the past and present. The team’s ability to recite landmark Supreme Court cases from memory and apply them to present-day issues was particularly noteworthy.
In addition to winning the national title, the team also won student and class awards for their social media videos on domestic and global challenges facing Americans today and potential policies to address them.
Max Alexander won the student category with his video on police brutality, while Mrs. Murphy’s class won the class category with their video on school shootings. Nova Middle School earned a spot in the national competition after winning the state title in February 2023.
The Center for Civic Education, in collaboration with a network of 50 state civics, government, and law programs, sponsors the competition to promote teaching and learning about the Constitution and Bill of Rights. These programs organize local and state simulated congressional hearings for elementary and secondary students and impact thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of students each year.
The Nova Middle School team had been preparing for months, memorizing landmark Supreme Court cases and applying them to present-day issues. They were tested on their knowledge of the Constitution, the federal budget, and the people’s rights earlier in April, in front of their parents. The students’ impressive performance inspired Cymara Harris, an eighth-grade student, to pursue a career in law.
