2015 Constitution Project competitors announced

Missouri Judiciary Newsroom

Home

Content date: 07/17/2015

2015 Constitution Project competitors announced

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Supreme Court of Missouri’s Committee on Civic Education announces the 16 schools chosen to compete in the annual Constitution Project, which will hold regional competitions during the fall 2015 semester and will culminate with championship rounds in Jefferson City later in the fall.

This year’s competition will feature teams in four regions:

In the western region are Father Tolton Regional Catholic High School in Columbia, School of the Osage High School in Osage Beach, Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia and University Academy in Kansas City.
In the eastern region are Cardinal-Ritter College Preparatory High School in St. Louis, Fulton High School in Fulton, North Technical High School in Florissant and St. James High School in St. James.
In the southwestern region are Bolivar High School in Bolivar, Camdenton High School in Camdenton, Logan-Rogersville High School in Rogersville and Nixa High School in Nixa.
In the south-central region are Dixon High School in Dixon, Houston High School in Houston, Rolla High School in Rolla and West Plains High School in West Plains.

Of these, six schools are new to the Constitution Project, now in its third year as a statewide competition: Bolivar, Fulton, North Tech, Rolla, Smith-Cotton and University Academy.

The Constitution Project gives students a mock crime scene to investigate, report about and eventually try in a mock trial, all under the mentorship of local professionals in the fields of crime scene investigation, journalism and trial advocacy. Started in spring 2011 at Houston (Missouri) High School by Texas County Associate Circuit Judge Doug Gaston, the competition last year included more than 150 students from 12 schools in three regions.

This year’s competitors were chosen based on school district excellence, capability in teaching the three disciplines of the competition and student aptitude. In addition, to be chosen, each community was required to pledge commitments from the school, local judges, law enforcement, media and attorneys.

“We are thrilled to have so many outstanding students from these excellent schools competing in the Constitution Project this year,” Judge Gaston said. “In addition, the selection of these schools means that many professionals in their communities have pledged to volunteer their time and talents to mentor students about their profession and the importance of our constitution to the nation. We are so proud of and grateful to them and our schools, and we are excited to kick off this fall’s competition.”

Winners will be named at the team and individual level for each discipline. Individual award winners will receive $1,000 scholarships from sponsoring organizations. Statewide cosponsors of the project include the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Sheriff’s Association, Missouri Police Chiefs Association, Missouri Press Association, Missouri Broadcasters Association and The Missouri Bar.

Certain competitors also will be selected to be Constitution Fellows. Constitution Fellows in journalism will spend a day at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism; fellows in crime scene investigation will spend a day at the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s crime lab in Jefferson City; and fellows in trial advocacy will spend a day at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. Along with these organizations, the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg also is a co-sponsor of the Constitution Fellowships.

To learn more about The Constitution Project, please visit https://www.courts.mo.gov/civiceducation/pages/const_proj_home.html.

###

Contact: Beth S. Riggert
Communications Counsel
Supreme Court of Missouri
(573) 751-3676