Hundreds of Ohio middle school students revealed their knowledge of the United States Constitution during a recent forum at the Ohio Statehouse.

Hundreds of Ohio middle school students revealed their knowledge of the United States Constitution during a recent forum at the Ohio Statehouse.

Forget about summer plans. More than 200 Ohio middle school students recently hit the books to show off their knowledge of the United States Constitution.

Students participated in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution State Showcase at the Ohio Statehouse. The national program, administered in Ohio by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE), allows students to participate in simulated legislative hearings to highlight their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution.

The forum focused on freedom of speech and voting. Students emphasized their understanding of constitutional principles and evaluated, presented, and defended positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. After providing prepared answers to the competition questions, students underwent questioning by judging panels including college professors, judges, attorneys, state legislators, and other community leaders, who probed their full comprehension of the topic.

Participating schools included: Berea-Midpark Middle School (Cuyahoga County), Brookside Middle School (Lorain County), Columbiana South Side Middle School (Columbiana County), and Sycamore Junior High School (Hamilton County).

“My students have gained valuable skills in presenting information and in thinking for themselves and providing evidence to support their opinions,” said Robin Lashley, teacher at Berea-Midpark Middle School.

OCLRE is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization whose goal is to improve society by developing citizens empowered with an understanding of our democratic system. OCLRE is sponsored by the Ohio Supreme Court, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Ohio State Bar Association, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio Foundation. In Ohio, We the People is funded in part by a grant from the Ohio State Bar Foundation.

For more information, please visit www.oclre.org.