Centennial High School Golden Hawks We the People team soared to a third-place win in last month’s state competition, earning a surprise last-minute wild card invitation to represent California at the national competition in Washington, D.C., in mid-April. This marks the school's sixth time qualifying for nationals, the first since 2012.
Centennial High School has a successful history in the competition, having won four California state championships and achieving as high as third place nationally. This year, Joseph Biron, social studies teacher and We the People coach at Centennial High School, leads a team of 24 students.
For the last nine years, Biron has been coaching Centennial’s We the People team. In the 28-year history of the school's competitive journey, he is the third We the People coach to lead Centennial students to nationals, following the footsteps of David Richmond and Ryan Coleman.
“We’ve been pushing for this for a long time,” said Biron. “I’m excited to take a group of students back to D.C. and see them perform there.”
Biron and his dedicated team are gearing up to compete nationally in a series of mock congressional hearings, showcasing their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. However, sending the entire team and four adult chaperones to Washington, D.C. is approximately $75,000.
The team has less than four weeks to raise the necessary funds and is reaching out to the community for support, where past contributions and support have been instrumental in the school's academic success.
“We are very grateful for everyone who has been donating and helping participate, because without them, we would not be able to go in the first place,” said senior Jade Lizarraga.
We the People is a civic education program that provides comprehensive instruction in the foundations, history, and culture underlying the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. Students involved in the program practice and study extensively on their understanding of various constitutional topics. They not only grow in their knowledge and skills but also in the dispositions it takes to be active citizens.
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“For some of them, it will be their first trip to Washington D.C.,” said Biron. “But most importantly, I always tell my students that the competition is just a means to an end. We want to do well but the really important way that we are going to measure how successful we are is by how much growth we can experience.”
Centennial’s We the People team feels a sense of honor and responsibility to proudly represent California and Kern County in Washington, D.C. Those interested in supporting their journey to nationals can reach out for more information or to donate.
Contact Information:
For inquiries or donations, please contact Joseph Biron at [email protected].
To donate directly to their online campaign, please visit: https://verticalraise.com/fundraiser/2024-centennial-high-school-we-the-people-fundraiser/