Bri Nelson Mahayla Doyle and Tiffany Matney

Mahayla Doyle, Bri Nelson and Tiffany Matney of South Tama County Schools are finalists in the Iowa State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division “Know Your Constitution” Project. One hundred finalists were selected from the more the 1,000 students across the State of Iowa who participated in the “Know Your Constitution” Project. These finalists will be honored at a luncheon held at the West Des Moines Marriott Hotel in West Des Moines on January 6, 2017. The luncheon will begin at 12:30 p.m. This year’s Keynote Spearke is the Honorable Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

From the finalists, five students and their teachers will be chosen by a random drawing to attend the all expense paid, Close-Up Foundation’s five day long education work session in Washington, D.C., in February 2017. The work sessions are designed to develop a deeper understanding of government and the political process. The “know Your Constitution” Project is designed to enrich students’ understanding and appreciation of the Constitution.

The students participating in the project were required to familiarize themselves with Constitution related issues. A quiz was completed by each participating student.

An essay question accompanied the quiz in case of a tie.

This year’s essay topic involved Constitutional questions centered on the admission into the United States of immigrants form identified nations and the documentation of current residents in the U.S. of immigrants from those countries.

Prior to the luncheon on January 6, the student finalists will have the opportunity to hear from and interact with a constitutional expert to discuss the essay topic and recent developments and rulings.

This program is sponsored by the Iowa State Bar Association, with additional funding from the Iowa State Bar Foundation and many of the county Bar Associations across Iowa.