Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is proud to announce that Nova Middle School law studies students won the state championship at Florida Southern College’s 2023 “We the People” mock congressional hearing competition held in February.

The competition, presented by the college’s Justice Teaching Center, hosts middle and high school law studies classes from across Florida to participate in mock congressional hearings to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Nova Middle team competed against teams from more than a dozen other schools to win the title.

“I’m proud to celebrate the outstanding accomplishment of our students and their teachers in earning their school the recognition of being top in the state,” said BCPS Interim Superintendent Dr. Earlean C. Smiley. “This experience gives students an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world issues, while at the same time building their self-confidence and sharpening skills that help prepare them for their futures.”

In the competition, students prepare a preliminary statement delivered during the mock trial simulation, followed by a question-and-answer segment with judges, attorneys, professors and other community members addressing constitutional issues.

Winning the state championship title earned the Nova Middle 35-student-team an invitation to participate in the national competition taking place in Washington, D.C. in April.

View the surprise announcement and students’ reaction when they learned they were state champions: https://becon.eduvision.tv/Share.aspx?q=3SfVi13wT7R42EUNKUjrOQ%253d%253d