Grant High Con Team Takes National Title

By Rennie Kendrick | Photo Credit to The Oregonian

April 30, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. – About 14 months ago, the Grant High School Constitution Team suffered a bitter defeat at the hands of cross-town rival Lincoln in the Oregon state championships.

Today, that loss is now but a mere memory as this year’s Grant team captured first place in the 26th Annual “We the People: The Citizen and Constitution National Finals.”

Miriam Kohn, a member of Grant’s Unit 3, described her reaction to the news: “Oh, my God. I can’t believe we did this. It’s surreal.”

Grant Principal Vivian Orlen, who traveled with the team, was ecstatic about the school’s accomplishment.

Said a beaming Orlen: “The coaches believed that they had the students who could take it all the way. And obviously by their victory tonight, they showed that to be true.”

Grant participated in the three-day event simulating congressional hearings that tested student knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Classes representing 45 states and the District of Columbia came to the nation’s capital to participate in the academic competition.

Results of the competition were announced Monday evening before a packed crowd of about 1,900, including students, teachers, coordinators, judges and other participants.

Each team is divided into units that specialize in learning about different parts of the U.S. Constitution. The units make statements before the judges and then answer impromptu questions to show their knowledge.

Grant’s Con Team has 34 seniors who are members and is organized by History Teacher David Lickey, who has worked with the team for several years. He remembers the feeling of the loss to Lincoln last year and began working right away after the defeat to improve Grant’s chances.

Lickey, with a guarded though obviously pleased expression, congratulated the team. “I am happy with the way it turned out,” he said. “Thoroughly and perfectly satisfied…The feeling is elation.”

On Monday, the top 10 teams competed in front of a panel of three judges at the Rayburn House Office Building of Congress. Grant was one of them. Students sat at a table in a building where many of the infamous Watergate proceedings had been handled, as one of the judges pointed out. After a morning of astounding performances, described by one judge as “breathtaking,” the Grant team (representing Oregon) retreated back to its hotel to await the evening awards ceremony at 8 p.m.

The ceremony stretched on until, finally, at approximately 10 p.m., the top 10 places were announced. Apprehension hung in the air as the announcer called out places 10 up through No. 4. Oregon still had not been called. This meant they had finished in the top three.

After a grueling pause, the announcer called Colorado to the stage to claim third. Oregon was in the top two along with powerhouse California. Finally, second place California was announced. Immediately, the Grant students jumped to their feet in a flurry of hugging, screaming and crying.

After California had shuffled off, the Grant Generals, new national champions, excitedly rushed to the stage. Some team members burst into tears. Others screamed with excitement. Parents of team members joined in, many announcing the win to the social media world.

Senior Annaleis Cowan is a member of Grant’s Unit 5. She says the year-long experience had a great impact on her as a person.

“I understand my rights so much better and it’s really important that other students understand their rights,” she said with conviction, drawing on a theme of informed citizenship.

Senior Kohn, obviously pleased, reflected on her Constitution Team experience as a whole. “I’ve learned a lot about myself and how I deal with stress,” she said. She cites one of her coaches with a strong personality as an example of standing up for herself and forming a “cohesive argument.”

Unit 6 Coach Shelley Larkins said winning the title was especially important this year for Lickey. “I think Mr. Lickey really wanted to win because he knew it was his last year being the teacher for the class, so that really motivated him.”

Also, reclaiming the title from Lincoln last year was another factor that pushed students to work long and hard.

The theme of this year for Grant Constitution Team, and possibly many other years, was gaining internal benefits. Students often speak of how the experience prepares them for college.

For Orlen, she sees the Constitution Team as a fitting end to a high school career. “I think that for Grant, it’s such a great sort of capstone experience that culminates in your senior year and I think that brings a certain level of maturity to the program as well,” she said.