Fifteen Kahuku High School students have something special to celebrate this Presidents’ Day: They will soon head to Washington, D.C., to compete in the 26th annual We the People civics contest.

Jan Harney, a Kahuku social studies teacher and the team’s adviser, said Kahuku is typically a strong competitor at the state level and has placed among the top 10 teams in the nation.

"It is something that was developed strongly by the past teachers, and what I see is that it just really helps improve their research skills, their speaking skills, their teamwork ability … and all the types of things I feel like they’re going to need after graduation that employers look for," Harney said.

The Kahuku team, made up of 14 seniors and one junior, defeated teams from seven private and public schools at the state competition Feb. 2 for a chance to represent Hawaii at the national competition in late April at George Mason University.

The competition is based on essay writing and students’ on-the-spot knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. Students each recite a four-minute essay to a panel of judges before being hit with questions from the panel that could be related to the essay or on anything to do with current events and the Constitution.

Jonah Cabiles, 17, said facing the judges can be stressful but that he enjoys the challenge.

"When you are up there on the panel, they can ask you anything," the Kahuku senior said. "It’s thrilling almost. They’re supporting kids … but they’re also kind of there to test you and see how much you know, so they really don’t make it easy for you, but they’re there for you."

Harney said most schools incorporate the We the People program into government or politics classes. Students begin the school year by studying from the standard We the People textbook, and state-level essay questions are released three or four weeks later.

Students then spend months editing, revising and collaborating with classmates and community members to craft essays on questions such as "Why did the founders prefer a representative or republican form of government to direct democracy as the better or best form of government?"

"They’re tough, really tough," Harney said.

Cabiles said he has most enjoyed learning things he never before considered and connecting the past with the present.

"I find it interesting how … the government has changed to fit our growing needs," he said. "My favorite part about the whole process is really just the learning — learning about everything, finding things that you really didn’t think about until then and realizing how our system works and how it all connects together."

Harney said a competitive, teamlike atmosphere develops among the students and that community members such as lawyers, judges and political science professors from nearby Brigham Young University-Hawaii pitch in to help.

"The community in Hawaii is hugely supportive of it," she said. "Many of those people who judge (the state competition) will now coach us since we’re representing Hawaii in D.C., so they will support us and give us their time for free."

Harney said last year was the first year state champions had to raise money to attend the national competition because the U.S. Department of Education cut the program’s budget. She said Kahuku’s trip to nationals last year was made possible in part by a grant from the Castle Foundation, and fundraising events are planned for this year, including a silent auction March 9 at Sunset Beach Elementary and a "Zumba Night" in the Kahuku High School gymnasium.

People may send donations to Kahuku High School, 56-490 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, HI 96731. Make checks payable to Kahuku High School and write "We the People Team" in the memo line.