A Shaler Area Elementary School team of fifth-graders was awarded runner-up in The Citizenship Challenge at the Heinz History Center on Dec. 7, 2018.
The Citizenship Challenge, sponsored by The Rendell Center for Civics & Civic Engagement, The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, invites fourth- and fifth-grade students in public, private, or parochial schools in the Greater Pittsburgh area to write an essay on an issue facing United States democracy.
As one of the eight finalists, the Shaler Area team made their final presentation before judges at the Heinz History Center, defending their argument on whether or not the requirement that a person must be a natural born citizen to become president should remain in the Constitution. The judges included the Honorable Edward G. Rendell, former governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the Honorable Marjorie O. Rendell, Third Circuit Court of Appeals; and Latasha Wilson-Batch, executive director of the Best of the Batch Foundation and Heinz History Center trustee.
As runners-up, the students received $500 for their school to be used in a citizenship program as well as a citizenship library collection for the Shaler Area Elementary School’s library, valued at $250.
Congratulations to the Shaler Area Elementary School team: Alex Ai, Jayla Antomachi, Brooke Callahan, Katie Celender, Miley Crowell, Noah Demchsin, Joey DeSabato, Octavia Dixon, Owen Engbarth, Cy Engel, Sally Engel, Natalie Evangelista, Adam Hoffman, Bella Hoffman, Maddie Lennon, Carter McKissick, Ryleigh Meinert, Nick Mulkerin, Shamus Ortlieb, Aiden Quinn, Cayden Sherbin, and Maddie Wilson.