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JOE JULIANO (IN INTERVIEW): January is a crazy race to the finish line. All across the country, you’ve got teams just like mine that are scrambling, pushing it to the limits because they all want a chance at the national title. The state competition is just this huge moment.

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GRAHAM MCBRIDE

FOOTHILL HIGH SCHOOL, CA

GRAHAM MCBRIDE (TEACHER): A lot of my stress goes into the preparation for the state competition because then it’s it’s, it’s, it’s over if we don’t advance.

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ANGELA DIPASQUALE 

GRANT HIGH SCHOOL, OR

ANGELA DIPASQUALE (TEACHER): I feel some of that pressure. Gosh, what if this is the year that we don’t advance to nationals? 

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STACEY SKLAR 

AMADOR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, CA

STACEY SKLAR (TEACHER): You can’t fake it, you really have to be good. 

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SCHUYLER VANVALKENBURG

GLEN ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL, VA

SCHUYLER VANVALKENBURG (TEACHER): We’re talking about losing by the smallest of margins or winning by the smallest of margins.

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ERIN LINDT

SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, WY

ERIN LINDT (TEACHER): We didn’t even make it to state my first year here, but then I was like we’re coming back with a vengeance.

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MARC MONDRY

EAST BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL, NJ

MARC MONDRY: It gets tougher every year. You know, teachers get better, schools get more competitive. 

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SAM ULMSCHNEIDER

MAGGIE L. WALKER GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL, VA

SAM ULMSCHNEIDER: You may have a stellar, amazing group of students, but someone else may have an even more stellar and amazing group of students.

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MIKE THOMAS

SHERIDAN HIGH SCHOOL, WY

MIKE THOMAS: Everybody wants to win and that’s just the way it is.

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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

12 HOURS BEFORE STATE COMPETITION

ROHINI: I think we’re all just facing a general exhaustion from repeated like information. So I think we should calm down.

SKYLAR: This is unit bonding time.

ALICE: Yeah.

ALICE: Maggie Walker has a history.

ROHINI (IN INTERVIEW): Twenty-five years is a long legacy.

ALICE (IN INTERVIEW): And now we have to kind of prove ourselves.

AVERY (IN INTERVIEW): We’ve pretty much been having practice rounds every day and prepping for states by, like, really beefing up our study guide. It’s intense, but I have never felt smarter in my life. 

SKYLAR: Can I tell you guys some of the random things that I pulled up that I feel like I should share with everyone?

AVERY: You should.

SKYLAR: One thing is the cube rule. Do we know what this is? Because I did not know what this is.

ALICE: The what?

SKYLAR: Cube. Rule. Like a square, but in 3D. [LAUGHS] Sorry.

SKYLAR: We’re passionate for learning in a very nerdy way and all we talk about is the Constitution. 

AVERY: But do you have the scholar that came up with this rule, because that would make it even more impactful.

ROHINI: We have so many scholars.

AVERY: Like established by. . . Mr. Guy.

AVERY (IN INTERVIEW): My unit, they drive me, one hundred percent.

ALICE: Nixon versus Fitzgerald’s like, the consequences of your actions, you can’t be prosecuted for.

SKYLAR: It’s not presidential immunity.

ROHINI: If it’s ever brought up, I have the actual Roman history behind it, because it’s the Roman principle. It’s the reason Rome fell down.

SKYLAR: Don’t get too, rabbit hole with it.

ROHINI: Yeah, the only reason, if I’m going to mention it, I’ll say destruction of– 

SKYLAR: It’s good evidence but it’s quick evidence–

ROHINI: The destruction of Democracy because it allowed the executive to become a dictator.

ALICE: I disagree with this.

CADEN (IN INTERVIEW): I am exhausted. Stressed. Mentally drained. I am pretty sure I am talking about the Senate in my sleep these days. 

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WYOMING

24 HOURS BEFORE STATE COMPETITION

BUS DRIVER: How you doing today?

STUDENT (TO PARENT): I love you.

PARENT: Keep us posted.

STUDENT: Alright, thank you.

PARENT: Have fun.

MIKE THOMAS: Ok, wave out the window we’re leaving. Listen up. I want you to relax and have fun till we get to Casper. But once we eat lunch, we’re fully engaged, understand? So if you want to go to sleep, or listen to music, or talk. . .

MIKE THOMAS (IN INTERVIEW): We’re trying to get kids to think.

MIKE THOMAS: How is the three-fifths compromise connected to the Electoral College?

STUDENT: They have more representation in the House so they have more members in the House.

MIKE THOMAS (IN INTERVIEW): It’s the best part of teaching We the People. It’s really getting kids to think about their own ideas about these different topics. And these are hard topics. 

MIKE THOMAS: Which is why slavery didn’t end in 1808 like it was supposed to. 

MIKE THOMAS (IN INTERVIEW): You got to do a lot of work on your own.

MIKE THOMAS: They screwed up big time.

MIKE THOMAS: And you got to figure out both sides because the judges are going to say, well, you said this, but what’s the other side’s going to say? So it’s not enough to just know your side. You have to know it all the way around 

STUDENT: This is why the Senate is not representing the states and this is why the House should only. . .

CUTTER: Senators now, they are appealing just to their voters to get votes.

MIKE THOMAS (IN INTERVIEW): I think that teaching students to critically think about government. . .

HARPER: Who should regulate the second amendment?

MIKE THOMAS (IN INTERVIEW): . . . Helps them better find their way into society. 

MIKE THOMAS: I think last time I checked. . .

MIKE THOMAS (IN INTERVIEW): I just want to create better citizens, better thinkers, more engaged citizens. That, to me, is much more important than anything else. 

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