Maggie Walker Students Place Second in National Constitutional Competition

Speech and debate teams 2026

The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School We the People Team has placed second in the nation in The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals, which took place Monday, April 27th in Washington, DC. The 2015 competition marks the 9th time Maggie Walker has finished in the top three since 2003 (2011 and 2003 National Champions).  Additionally, Walker’s Unit 1 won the prestigious Magna Carta Award for the highest score in the nation on the Magna Carta question.

We the People team members study a broad range of topics related to American government and constitutionalism and prepare for simulated congressional hearings, during which judges question and score units based on knowledge and articulation.

The National Finals marked the end of months of study and hard-won first place finishes at the district level and state level for the team.

 

The Walker We the People team is fortunate to receive support from the Governor’s School Foundation and particular support from corporate sponsors the New Market Foundation, the MeadWestvaco Foundation, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, Tailored Touches, and Geoff McDonald and Associates.

http://www.civiced.org/programs/wtp

Maggie Walker We the People team is coached by Social Studies teacher and alumnus Sam Ulmschneider (Class of ’02):

 
Maggie L. Walker We the People Team 2015

 

Unit 1:

Connor Wood

Margaret Jewett

Lucy Grinnan

Pranay Vissa

 

Unit 2:

Ellie Palazzolo

Tyler Walker

Chelsie Motley

Rajiv Tummala

 

Unit 3:

Katie Wood

Andrew Leffler

Sam Schwartzkopf

Joanne Choi

Unit 4:

Debbie Mayo

Radhika Srivastava

Elizabeth Ratliff

Jordyn Kent

 

Unit 5:

Matthew Perry

Robert Sherman

Helen Li

Kayla Aaron

 

Unit 6:

Reed Canaan

Alessandro Ragazzi

Coly Elhai

Galen Green

 

Executive Director’s Snapshot

View updates by Kristin Janssen for this academic year.

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