Hardin Valley Academy’s winning team and teachers in front of Lee’s Humanities Building at the recent Constitution Bowl
Constitution Bowl participants compete in the bowl’s final round
Shelley Harris, political science major and Pi Sigma Alpha president, delivers opening remarks for the event
Lee University’s Department of History, Political Science & Humanities hosted the eighth annual Constitution Bowl for local and regional high school students.
The Constitution Bowl is a competitive team event where students are quizzed over the Constitution and other important founding documents.
“I’m happy to have seen both returning schools and schools that haven’t participated in the past,” said Dr. Ana Shippey, assistant professor of political science at Lee. “The Constitution Bowl is a great way to celebrate Constitution Day and encourage students to be more knowledgeable, responsible citizens.”
Participants gathered from across Eastern Tennessee with almost 90 students from six different high schools including Girls Preparatory School, Hardin Valley Academy, Lookout Valley, Notre Dame, Tennessee Christian Preparatory School, and Walker Valley.
Hardin Valley returned for its second year and brought home the trophy, defeating the previous champions and this year’s runner-up, Walker Valley.
“I have attended the bowl for four years now as a faculty sponsor, and every year I watch students grow in their knowledge of the Constitution and excitement for these important events. I am so glad that Lee creates and facilitates this event for the students of our community, and I look forward to the years to come,” said Rachel Campbell, educator at TCPS.
Each of the 22 teams responded to questions on the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, selected Federalist Papers, the Articles of Confederation, and the Tennessee Constitution. Additionally, teams were quizzed on selected Supreme Court cases including Marbury v. Madison, Dred Scott v. Stanford, and Brown v. Board of Education, among others.
The quiz bowl was coordinated by the political science faculty and sponsored by Lee’s chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors Society. According to Dr. Shippey, the participation of many students and faculty in the Constitution Bowl each year creates a stronger community within the department.
For more information about the Constitution Bowl or Lee’s Department of History, Political Science & Humanities, call 614-8137 or visit https://leepoliticalscience.wordpress.com/.