Constitution project winners head to Washington D.C.

Twenty Monterey County students were honored on Tuesday for their participation in the  third annual Monterey County United States Constitution Project.

The students, representing five Monterey County middle schools, will now  visit Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, Penn., to experience the buildings, monuments, and documents that have shaped U.S. history. Each student also received recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives, the California State Senate, and California State Assembly.

Now in its third year, the goal of the project sponsored by the Dan and Lillian King Foundation is to enrich the lives of Monterey County 8th graders with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights which frame our country.

Students studied the Constitution in their 8th grade U.S. history classes, and were asked to write an essay about the document’s impact on both the country and their personal lives. The essays were submitted to the Dan and Lillian King Foundation, which selected four winners from each school.

The winners are: Main Street Middle School, Soledad Unified School District: Graciela Chavez · Jordy Ramos · Robert Guillen · Denise Virgen.

North Monterey County Middle School, North Mtry County Unified: · Archie Chicano · Anthony Macias · Jayden Clay-Diaz · Naomi Hernandez.

Washington Middle School, Salinas Union High School District: · Grace Gonzales · Anthony Tarazon · Israel Cardenas · Maya Mendoza.

Los Arboles Middle School, Monterey Peninsula Unified: · Amadeus Soria · Yawar Yousofzai · Vy Dang · Isela Casas Garcia.

Chalone Peaks Middle School, King City Union School District · Jose Luis Torres Jr. · Nicholas Potts · Esther Hales · Diana Hernandez.

Congratulations eight graders! Hard work does pay off, right? 

Carmel's practice on "Empire" gives them edge in Monterey County mock trial

If you read the story that my fine colleague Peter Funt wrote a few weeks ago, you already know Carmel emerged champion of the Monterey County high school mock trial. If you missed the story, here it is.

It had been a few years since Carmel won the tournament. In fact, Pacific Grove had been the winner for the three previous consecutive years. So what made the difference? Carmel High government and politics teacher Bill Schrier credits "Empire."

 "Empire" is a selective mock trial competition that's been taking place in New York since 2007, and it was held for the first time in San Francisco last fall. It was the first time Carmel participated, and the team earned forth place among 24 teams that came from different parts of the United States and abroad. 

And that gave them the edge, Schrier said.

" Empire was instrumental in providing the students experience in a high level competition prior to County.  It also allowed the team to bond earlier.  I honestly don't know how we'd have done it without Empire," Schrier wrote in an email.

So there you have it. Carmel is now getting ready for the statewide tournament, after getting some deserved recognition by the Carmel City Council. Way to go ladies! Can't wait to hear how it goes in Riverside. 

"Thinking Out Loud" students art exhibit opens March

Thinking Out Loud, an exhibit of artwork by Monterey County High School artists opens Saturday, March 7th at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts.

The artists will have a reception from 3 to 5 on Saturday, March 7. The exhibit is free and open to the public and can be seen Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Student art-work in a wide-range of media--from painting, drawing, ink-relief, sculpture, photography and collage--by students from throughout Monterey County will be on display through April 3rd.