Center for Civic Education

The primary goal of “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” is to promote civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s elementary and secondary students. The ALA is privileged to have representation on the National Advisory Committee of the “We the People” program.

ALA is invited to attend the National Finals, which is a simulated congressional hearing in which students “testify” before a panel of Judges on Capitol Hill. It is so inspiring to witness high school seniors from all over the country speak, debate and answer questions from experts in the field of civic education.

The Center for Civic Education also puts information about the ALA Teacher of the Year contest on their website, www.civiced.org.

It is the goal of ALA to encourage ways that ALA can have more interaction with the Center so that our law-related mandate can be more fully realized. We are asking our state and local auxiliaries to become more involved with “We the People” programs in their local school districts. There is always a need for volunteers to act as timers, facilitators and judges at the local and state levels.

For more information about other projects of the Center for Civic Education, and to learn who the “We the People” coordinator is for your state, please go to their website www.civiced.org.

The We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals

The American Lawyers Alliance is delighted to be a sponsor of the 2026 We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals. Our sponsorship will be in honor of the late Charles Quigley, the founder of the Center for Civic Education.  We will be the sole sponsor for the "America 250 Question."  These proceeds will go into the cost of putting on the whole annual We the People contest including helping with transportation, meals and other costs involved. 


This competition is a transformative three-day academic competition held annually in the Washington, D.C. area, bringing together over 1,200 high school students from across the country. It is the biggest civics contest in the nation and is in its 39th year. Through rigorous, simulated congressional hearings, students "testify" before panels of constitutional scholars, judges, attorneys, educators, and alumni. Their performances demonstrate not only civic knowledge, but also the analytical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills essential for effective participation in our constitutional democracy.


Right on the heels of the high school competition is the National Invitational for middle school students. For the first time, they are now offering sponsorship offerings for this all-virtual competition as well!

The 2026 National Finals will be held April 16–19, 2026 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Rockville, MD.

By the Numbers:
The Impact of the National Finals

  • 3,400+ attendees expected, including students, teachers, parents, alumni, and volunteers
  • 50 states represented through competing teams
  • 3 days of competition, receptions, our popular Civics Fair, and national awards ceremony
  • 40+ judges and experts from law, education, government, and the nonprofit sectors



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“60-Second Civics” Podcasts to Focus on Right to Vote

The Center for Civic Education has launched a nationwide initiative to focus its signature daily program, “60-Second Civics,” on the right to vote in the weeks leading up to the November 3 national elections. Each day, 60-Second Civics will feature a podcast focused on voting, elections and representation and how those rights are protected under the Constitution. Each episode will be accompanied by a Daily Civics Quiz, which teachers can use with the podcast as a warmup activity at the start of their history, government or social studies classes. The podcast will also include an audiogram, which is a captioned video animation of each episode.

Check Out the Latest Podcast