Teams gear up for League of Women Voters Civcs Bee, Sunday, April 3

How much do you know about your government?   

Match wits with the intergenerational teams of middle school and high school students and adults from Sudbury, Wayland and Weston who are training hard for the third annual League of Women Voters Civics Bee Sunday, April 3.

The Bee pits teams from the three towns in a competition for the League travelling trophy.  This year's Bee will focus on the U.S. Supreme Court but includes questions on other areas of government.

The Civics Bee will be held in the auditorium at the Ephraim Curtis Middle School, 22 Pratts Mill Road in Sudbury, starting at 2 p.m. April 3.  It is free, and the public is encouraged to come cheer for their town.

Each town's team is made up of three middle school students, three high school students, and three adults.  Three team members, one from each age group, will answer each set of questions as a team.    

While the makeup of some teams is still being finalized, these people have agreed to represent their towns at the Bee.

Sudbury's middle school team members are Jack Pamir, Ali Stahr, and Emily Thomas, coached by teacher Mary Mahoney.  The high school team is Carrie Ruh, Cameron Shorb, and Alex Brown, coached by Claire Tam.  The participating adults are Mark Collins, Carl Offner and Susan Offner.

Wayland's high school team members, some of whom will be alternates, are Hina Bhat, Christine Cocce,  Erik Halperin, Alexander Ma, and Gabriel Sehringer, coached by teachers Kevin Delaney and Eva Urban-Hughes.  The adults representing Wayland are Malcolm Astley, Anette Lewis and Jack Langsdorf.

Weston's adult representatives are Court Chilton, Ed Coburn and Beth Nolan.  

Last year, Wayland took home the trophy, while Weston won the first Civics Bee.

"Weston was delighted to win the Civics Bee the first year.  We decided the trophy should spend six months at the high school, and then six months at the middle school.  We learned the first year we had underestimated the knowledge of the middle schoolers.  We thought we needed to make some questions easier for them, but soon realized that they knew at least as much about the Constitution as the adults," said Weston League president Katty Chace.

"The Sudbury League is excited to host the Civics Bee this year.  With the help of Mary Mahoney from Curtis, L-S senior Claire Tam, and Sudbury League Civics Bee  chair Jeanne Maloney, we have recruited an excellent team.  This year the eagle trophy will roost in Sudbury!" said Bonnie Glass, co-president of the Sudbury League.

The Bee Master, or moderator, will be Jo-Ann Berry, co-chair of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts' citizen education committee.

Richard Albert, assistant professor at Boston College Law School, a specialist in constitutional law, democratic theory and comparative constitutional law, will be the judge.

More information is available at LWV Civics Bee on Facebook and via email at lwv.civics.bee@gmail.com.

The Civics Bee is sponsored by the Leagues of Women Voters in the three towns. The League is a nonpartisan political organization which encourages informed and active participation in government and works to increase understanding of major public policy issues.  For additional information, see the state website, www.lwvma.org, or the national website, www.lwv.org.

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