The winning Walker Valley High School team holding their trophy. From left, Gable Willis, Matthew Stuckey, Ella Colbert, and Rasheed Johnson.
Lee University’s Department of History, Political Science & Humanities hosted the 7th Annual Constitution Bowl for local and regional high school students.
The Constitution Bowl is a competitive team event where students are quizzed over the Constitution and other important founding documents.
“The Constitution Bowl is a great way to encourage young people to be knowledgeable and passionate about the founding of America and its institutions,” said Dr. Ana Alves, assistant professor of political science at Lee. “It is a great way to celebrate Constitution Day and American history.”
Participants came from across the Eastern Tennessee region with almost 100 students from seven different high schools including Lookout Valley, Tennessee Christian Academy, Walker Valley, Bradley Central, Notre Dame, Hardin Valley, and Bradley Home Educators. The Walker Valley team brought home the trophy for the third consecutive year.
“The Constitution Bowl is one of my students' favorite events every year,” said Ann Pickens, educator at Walker Valley High School. “It allows them to compete in a unique environment and requires them to know the content at a level normally reserved for experts. I love watching my students get excited about showing off their knowledge of American history and government.”
Each of the 23 teams responded to questions on the Constitution, Declaration, constitutional history, selected Federalist Papers, and selected court cases. This year, for the first time, the Tennessee Constitution was included among the documents studied by the participants. In each round, teams answered different types of questions: toss ups, team collaboration, head to head, and speed rounds.
The quiz bowl was coordinated by the political science faculty and sponsored by Lee’s chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors Society, which has for the second consecutive year been awarded one of Pi Sigma Alpha's Best Chapter Awards. These awards are intended to recognize local chapters that are particularly active in their departments and universities and exhibit high levels of energy and creativity in furthering the goals of the honor society.
For more information about the Constitution Bowl or Lee’s Department of History, Political Science & Humanities, call 614-8137 or visit https://leepoliticalscience.wordpress.com/.
Pi Sigma Alpha members and political science majors who helped facilitate the event, from left, Ben Absher, PSA secretary; Amy Cuen, PSA treasurer; Sara Moser, PSA president; and Christopher Christian, PSA vice president.