Justices participate in the 2023 North Dakota We the People State Competition Thursday, January 11, 2024

Justices Dan Crothers, Lisa Fair McEvers, Jerod Tufte, and Doug Bahr judged individual units of the competition that tests students on their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.  Additional Supreme Court staff members, Lee Ann Barnhardt and Sue Hartley, also volunteered as a judge and scorer, respectively. Other judges included constitutional scholars, lawyers, and public officials.  The closing address was delivered by Gov. Doug Burgum.

For the third consecutive year, Edgeley High School was named the overall champion. The students qualified to advance to the National Finals in Washington, D.C.

Eight schools competed in the academic competition. The schools competing and their instructors were Bismarck Century (Shannon Sorenson), Edgeley (Melissa Entzi), Kidder County (Jennifer Kallenbach), Griggs County (Christopher Kennedy), Tioga (Ryan Albrecht), Hillsboro (Elliot Rotvold), South Heart (Susan Reinhiller) and Washburn (Keith Jacobson).

The panel of judges tested the expertise of the classes on the six units of the "We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution" textbook: What Are the Philosophical and Historical Foundations of the American Political System? How Did the Framers Create the Constitution? How Has the Constitution Been Changed to Further the Ideals Contained in the Declaration of Independence? How Have the Values and Principles Embodied in the Constitution Shaped American Institutions and Practices? What Rights Does the Bill of Rights Protect? and What Challenges Might Face American Constitutional Democracy in the Twenty-first Century? To compete for the state title, a school must enter teams in all six units.

The We the People Program is administered nationally by the Center for Civic Education. In North Dakota, the program is administered by Humanities North Dakota with the support of the State Legislature and the State Bar Association of North Dakota.

Above (left to right), Rep. Jon Nelson, Justice Lisa McEvers, and Justice Douglas Bahr question students from Tioga High School about judicial ethics.

Above (left to right), Bismarck attorney Lawrence King, Justice Daniel Crothers, and retired Judical Assistant Jeanne Walstad, listen to the team from Hillsboro present on issues related to student searches in schools.