High School Students Win Statewide “Know Your Constitution” Competition

Twenty-two students from the Des Moines’ area were chosen as winners in the Young Lawyers Division of The Iowa State Bar Association’s “Know Your Constitution” competition.

Students completed an exam and an essay in order to be chosen as the top 100 winners of the competition from over 1,500 entries in the state. All 22 students are in AP U.S. Government or AP Comparative Government classes at Des Moines Public Schools’ Central Academy taught by Mike Schaffer.

Students selected in the top 100 listing include Alexandra Becker (Valley), William Bolte (Hoover), Leah Bowman (Johnston), Libby Caris (Roosevelt), Nicholas Dimenstein (Valley), Sadie Hallway (Lincoln), Jaqui Johnson (Roosevelt), Anna Lyons (Valley), Kyle Naig (Johnston), Skyler Marquis (Lincoln), Reeto Mathew (Lincoln), Elaine Meyer (Roosevelt), Sarah Mowitz (Roosevelt), Alysa Olson (Lincoln), Regan Parker (Lincoln), Ian Pierson (Hoover), Joel Schneider (Roosevelt), Ryan Tatum (Lincoln), Erin Teter (Roosevelt), Emma Wandro (Roosevelt), Sam Ward (Roosevelt), and Conor Wells (Roosevelt).

In the essay portion of the competition, six students also placed in the top 10. Anna Lyons was honored with the top essay award. Others placing in the top 10 in the essay competition include William Bolte, Leah Bowman, Ian Pierson, Joel Schneider, and Conor Wells.

Alexandra Becker was selected through a random drawing as a winner of an all-expense paid educational trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division and the Close Up Foundation. The week-long study of the U.S. government and the political process will take place Feb. 20-25.

“By participating in this competition, the students in AP U.S. Government and AP Comparative Government classes were able to demonstrate to a panel of lawyers their knowledge of the Constitution,” said Mike Schaffer, Central Academy government instructor. “And we have the good fortune of having one of our 22 winners going to Washington, D.C., where she will be engaged in nonstop learning about our political system.”