"Why Is The First Amendment Important To You?"
This is the question 5th-grade students in teacher Alice Hood's class at Ithan Elementary School and teacher Todd Serpico's class at Radnor Elementary School had to answer in an essay each student submitted for this year's Citizenship Challenge. The contest, presented by The Rendell Center for Civics and Civics Engagement, the National Constitution Center, and The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, was open to 4th- and 5th-grade students in the Philadelphia area.
Essays from each class -- Kayla Cormier's essay at IES and Kevin Brown's at RES -- were both named finalists in the competition, earning all students in both classes a trip to the finals at the National Constitution Center on December 11. Ten other finalist classes from more than 100 entrants across the area joined the IES and RES teams.
Each class presented its essay to a panel of distinguished judges, including former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell; the Hon. Marjorie O. Rendell of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; Reverend Dr. Herbert H. Lusk; and attorney Larry Brown.
Watch the IES class presentation on PCN Civics 101 (begins at approximately 2:00).
The team of 5th-graders at RES were one of three runners-up in the competition, winning a $500 cash prize to be used for a school program that promotes civic learning and engagement in the student body.
Watch the RES class presentation on PCN Civics 101 (begins at approximately 1:29)
All finalists received classroom copies of the "Literature-Based Mock Trials" curriculum developed by the Rendell Center as well as a civics library for their school.