Southeast Boise wins fall edition of We the Students Civics Bowl in Coeur d’Alene
Southeast Boise claimed the championship at Mountain States Policy Center’s We the Students Civics Bowl in Coeur d’Alene, defeating the Charter Champs from Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy in the final round.
The winning team included Louisa Simeri, Vivienne Laing, Ronin Foy, Varin Rai, and Jiawei Zhang, led by coach James Simeri.
Held November 7 at the Coeur d’Alene Inn, the competition featured seven rounds and more than 130 questions on American history and government.
In total, more than 90 students participated in MSPC’s We the Students Civics Bowl contests this year, with competitions in Boise in the spring and Coeur d’Alene this fall.
“Understanding our system of government is essential to preserving it,” said Chris Cargill, president and CEO of Mountain States Policy Center. “These students are showing that learning about our Constitution and the responsibilities of citizenship can be challenging, exciting and rewarding. Congratulations to Southeast Boise and coach James Simeri, and to the Charter Champs for earning their place in the championship round.”
Winning teams receive a $5,000 prize and the We the Students trophy, which stays with the winning school each year and is engraved with the winning students’ names.
The competition encourages teamwork, preparation and a deeper understanding of self-government, giving students an opportunity to put their classroom learning into practice.
“More than 90 students stepped up this year to put their civic knowledge to the test,” Cargill said. “That is reason for optimism. These young people are building the knowledge they need to become informed voters, engaged citizens and future leaders.”
The next We the Students Civics Bowl will be held at the Idaho State Capitol in May 2027.
Mountain States Policy Center thanks the students, coaches, families, volunteers and supporters who made this year’s competitions possible.
Teams can begin registering for the next bowl in Boise in January. Learn more about Mountain States Policy Center and its educational programs at mountainstatespolicy.org.
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