Missouri high school students to showcase constitutional knowledge at Show Me the Constitution

On April 20, high school students from across the state will showcase their constitutional knowledge at the Show Me the Constitution mock congressional hearing competition in Columbia.  

How it works  

Teams of three to five students take on the role of constitutional experts, testifying before a mock congressional committee of three judges. Each team has five minutes to present a prepared statement, followed by 10 minutes of follow-up questions from the judges. 

The judges are leaders in the academic and legal fields. In previous years, panels have included current and past Supreme Court of Missouri judges. 

For many students, defending constitutional arguments in front of such prominent figures can be intimidating. 2025 participant Ysabella Moss said she was nervous at first, but the judges made her feel comfortable, and she enjoyed the opportunity to meet them. 

“Once we started getting into the questioning, it got more comfortable…” Moss said. “It was really interesting to hear their opinions and also have them ask us our opinions.”   

This year’s topics include:  

— Should stare decisis matter in the 21st century?  

— To what extent should the First Amendment's protection of free expression apply to speech on social media platforms?  

— Is federalism still relevant in our country?  

Interested in bringing a team to next year’s Show Me the Constitution? Email CitizenshipEducation@mobar.org.   

The Missouri Bar citizenship education department hosts numerous events throughout the year and provides resources that can be implemented in the classroom. View dozens of resources at MissouriLawyersHelp.org.