Please consider donating to a group of local Forest Hills High School students who recently won a statewide competition and now have the chance to go to Washington in April to compete nationally. The only problem is, the school doesn't have the $40,000 it needs to send them to the national competition so it has asked for all of our help. I was recently contacted by Forest Hills High School's assistant principal asking if I could help spread the word about this. Here are all the details:
The Forest Hills High School
“We the People” team has won the New York State Championship for a second year in a row!!
This hardworking group of students, guided by a dedicated teacher, delves into the origins, structures and current workings of our government and become experts on the Constitution. The units of study include the philosophical and historical foundations of United States government, how the Constitution was created and how it has been amended to meet the needs of a changing nation, how the values and principles in the Constitution have shaped American institutions and practices, the rights protected by the Bill of Rights and the challenges facing American Constitutional democracy in the 21st century. The students deliver one of three different four minute speeches focusing on the specific topics ranging from the Constitutional Convention to the inner workings of government structures to the impact that everyday citizens can make in our democracy. They then face a series of questions from esteemed judges for another six minutes. This is exactly the kind of in-depth program we want our students in- one that challenges them to be their best.
Thirty three students now have the chance to compete at the
National “We the People” competition in Washington DC. This is something a New York City School has done only seven times since 1988. This is an honor that our students have worked hard to achieve and they deserve to be there. If you could sit with them and listen to and speak with them, you would be so impressed! As a New Yorker, I am proud they will be representing us in the championship. The students, along with the top team from each of the fifty states and US territories will spend five days in the nation’s capital debating a new set of questions. They will compete throughout these five days, but will also go to meetings and on tours with their peers from around the nation, an experience we know will expose them to new ideas from different people and which will allow them the chance to interact with the elected officials they study every day in school.
We are now faced with the task of raising the funds to send these hard working, intelligent young men and women to DC. The trip is invaluable, but it does have a cost- $40,000. The program was funded by the United States Congress for the past 25 years, until last year, when it was zeroed out of the budget because it was deemed an unnecessary earmark. One of the questions this year focused on the concept of active citizenship, which our students saw as a remedy for cynicism; their speech talked about instances where individuals or groups seek to do what is best for the common good, in order to exude the civic virtue our founders felt so necessary in a republican government. That is why we are seeking funds from a variety of public and private sources. We believe in the ability for our community to come together and support our students. It is a critical responsibility of citizenship and vital for our future.
It is often said that those between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four are apathetic towards government and civics in general. We have a chance to help a group of students shatter that stigma, to send them to our nation’s capital and represent Forest Hills, New York City and New York State. We invite you now to become a part of that team, stand with your community and support the students.
If you like to make a donation, please make checks payable to Forest Hills High School. If you need more information about how to make a corporate or other donation, or would like more information, please contact Carrie Sanchez, Assistant Principal Social Studies at 718-268-3137, ext. 3810 or
csanche14@schools.nyc.gov. Thank you for any support you can give!