SHS We the People Wins State Championship

The Sheridan High School We the People team is making a habit of winning. Recently, the team racked up their 12th Wyoming State win in Cheyenne. They won their first state championship in 2009. By winning on the state level, the SHS team qualified for the national competition to be held in Washington, DC April 9-11.

We the People is a civic education program which helps student enhance their understanding of the United States government system. SHS Social Studies Teacher Michael Thomas said they have 23 students this year participating in the We the People competitions.

He explained that there are six units, and each unit studies a different topic. There are normally four students in each unit, but this year Unit 2 only has three students.

Thomas talked about the state competition.

This is the first time the Cody School has qualified for nationals. Last year SHS and Cheyenne South went to Washington, D.C.

Thomas also mentioned that the SHS Unit 5 won the Robert Wormak award, given to the highest scoring unit in the Wyoming competition. Unit 5 students are: Blake Anderson; Lincoln Robbins; Sophia Spomer and Dani Grooms. It is the third year in a row that a unit from Sheridan High School has won the award.

The questions for Unit 5 were related to the bill of rights, freedom of religion; freedom of speech; due process, trial by jury and freedom of press. He said that last year the SHS Unit 5 was 15th in the National Competition.

The other students are: In Unit 1: Gavin Gilbertz; Anaya Simmons; Nicholas Matheney; Morgandy Straight. Unit 2: Andrew Adams; Addisyn Winkler; Lorenzo Cherry. Unit 3: Rachel Keegan; Shaun Gonda; Sydney Zebroski; Cameron Sulz. Unit 4: Gabriel Aasby; Abbie Neuman; Rosa Lepe-Sanchez; Annabel Lentz. Unit 6: Korah Condos; Aaron Baures; Olivia Hardesty; Eliana Walton.

He said that the challenging part of We the People is that the students have to understand the history of the issues as well as how to tie them into today. They have to bounce back and forth between the historical significance and the implications of now. “Current events are very important.”

There is a lot planned for the students to do and see in D.C. “We tour and we compete, but we have to strike a balance between touring the sites and competition. We are here to compete and represent the state of Wyoming as well.”

Thomas said that the National Archives will be a highlight, as well as the Smithsonian Museums, the Holocaust Museum and the Capitol, The White House, and Supreme Court. “Each student has a favorite monument when we are done.”

They also have an opportunity to meet with the Wyoming delegates in Washington.

In Cheyenne they got to speak to Senator Kinskey, he is the head of Joint Appropriations Committee. The team also toured the Wyoming State Capitol and the Wyoming Supreme Court. “They got to interact with some really high-quality people,” Thomas said.

Thomas said they will also be doing fundraising after the first of the year for the trip to D.C. He said that this takes a lot of people to make it happen and that the Sheridan community wants to support these kids.

“We are more than willing to come and give talks to local groups. We have talked to the School Board, to the Rotary, the City Council and other groups. We want to thank the community for their support in the past and hope they will support us in the future.”

He said they will be selling sponsorship T-shirts again to help raise funds. “If you see the We the People kids out and about, congratulate them, and maybe think about helping us again this year.” Thomas added.