We the people: a civic experience.

• Author: Celmer, Carly

The "We the People" competition taught me a lot of things, but among the most important was what it means to be an American and what it means to be a good citizen. In eighth grade I was taught American history by Mr. Madnikoff at Hammocks Middle School, a public school. He opened my eyes to a world of history and tradition that I was ashamed I had not known much about. He introduced me to how much knowledge was out there to gain about the country I live in and how I can play an important role as a citizen.

As a senior in high school, I joined Mrs. Rosie Heffernan at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in her Advanced Placement American Government course. She provided me with the opportunity to participate in the "We the People ... The Citizen and the Constitution" program, an arena I needed in order to educate and challenge myself.

The class was extremely demanding. It required a lot of after-school dedication and it relied upon a love of knowledge of the law. Learning various Supreme Court cases and educating myself on a variety of philosophers was a challenge that I gladly accepted. The reward was a deep respect and understanding of our nation's founders and amazing living documents.

My team spent a lot of time together after school, over vacations, and on weekends, and as a result, preparing for the competition had noncompetitive rewards. I made friends that I know I will stay in touch with for years. We have memories that will last forever and a sense of unity and accomplishment that can never be taken away.

My fellow panelists, or "colleagues," Dee and Jessy, became very close friends, and they made the "We the People" experience unforgettable. Our skills complemented one another. If one of us was scared, the others would act calmly, and if one of us was procrastinating, the others would somehow make the work seem interesting and easy.

By participating in this program, you are given the opportunity to change the lives of students. The impact you can make on our future leaders is tremendous. Mrs. Heffernan, through her dedication and passion for teaching, changed my outlook on life. Her love for the Constitution inspired all of us to work harder. Her confidence poured over and became our confidence.

Every year my high school, Lourdes Academy, does notably well at the national level; however, every year the students change and Mrs. Heffernan starts teaching all of the information as if it were the first year. My team started with hardly any...