gov team

December is a month for making the most out of the days left in the year, for bonding with those who matter most to you. Above all, however, December is a month of tradition.

While others are busy hanging up wreaths or clearing out guest rooms for relatives, Arcadia High School’s Constitution Team has been working hard to maintain an annual ritual of its own – winning. On December 12th, the team claimed its twenty-second consecutive victory in their regional competition, which was held at the 9th District Court of Appeals in Pasadena. It will now advance to the State Championships, slated to take place early February in Sacramento.

The Constitution Team – known more affectionately as ‘Gov Team’ – is composed of thirty A.P. American Government students who pursue in-depth study of the American Constitution and system of government. Divided into six units of five, each with their own scope of expertise, they compete in mock congressional hearings about America’s foundational document as well as its history and modern relevance.

Leading up to the competition, members of Gov Team prepare with extensive reading, research, and practice. “They meet every day as an A.P. class and hold regular meetings with their own units,” explains the coach and teacher of Constitution Team, Mr. Kevin Fox, “They also practice every Monday night at the Arcadia City Council with a group of local attorneys who sharpen their argumentation and presentation skills.”

This process is an intense and arduous one, at times leaving students defeated by exhaustion, but never failing to open their minds to new realms of knowledge. “We had to spend hours listening to N.P.R., reading the news, and getting drilled by our unit coach,” recalls Tara Sardesai, who was on the team last year, “but it made me more aware as a citizen.”

After months of hard work and sacrifice, Gov Team members were finally able to reap the fruits of their labor on December 12th when Arcadia emerged as the undisputed champion of the Los Angeles region. The six units accumulated a combined team score of ____ points out of 2160, beating the runners-up from _________ by a dominating margin of _______. “Insert beginning of quote about Regionals,” stated senior To-Be-Determined, “Insert end of said quote.”

Despite this recent success, Gov Team cannot afford to take even a short break. From now until the State Championships tournament, members will have to prepare new competition material and step up their studying, scouring the Internet for resources and following current events more intently than they ever have. Not that these dedicated seniors are ever hesitant to take on a challenge. Ruodi Duan relishes the task ahead of her, stating, “I am more motivated than ever. That is what makes Gov fun – there is so much mutual desire and team spirit. Each day and night spent with the team brings us closer together.”

If all goes well, Arcadia’s Gov Team may finally reclaim the coveted State Championship title, a feat which will qualify them for the National competition in Washington, D.C.

“I am every excited for this year’s group,” says Mr. Fox, “They are really gelling into a community and family, and I am very hopeful that their efforts will pay off.”

Arcadia has not qualified for the National Championships since 1997. This year’s team will be looking to break that trend. December may be firmly rooted in tradition, but it is also the last month of the year before another starts, a month spent in anticipation of new beginnings on the horizon.

December is a month for making the most out of the days left in the year, for bonding with those who matter most to you. Above all, however, December is a month of tradition.

While others are busy hanging up wreaths or clearing out guest rooms for relatives, Arcadia High School’s Constitution Team has been working hard to maintain an annual ritual of its own – winning. On December 12th [Dec. 12], the team claimed its twenty-second [22nd] consecutive victory in their [earlier in the sentence you used "its" rather than "their"; make it consistent] regional competition, which was held at the 9th District Court of Appeals in Pasadena. It will now advance to the State Championships, slated to take place early February in Sacramento.

The Constitution Team – known more affectionately as ‘Gov Team’ – is composed of thirty [30] A.P. American Government students who pursue in-depth study of the American Constitution and system of government. Divided into six units of five, each with their own scope of expertise, they compete in mock congressional hearings about America’s foundational document as well as its history and modern relevance.

Leading up to the competition, members of Gov Team prepare with extensive reading, research, and practice. “They meet every day as an A.P. class and hold regular meetings with their own units,” explains the coach and teacher of Constitution Team, Mr. Kevin Fox, “They also practice every Monday night at the Arcadia City Council with a group of local attorneys who sharpen their argumentation and presentation skills.”

This process is an intense and arduous one, at times leaving students defeated by exhaustion, but never failing to open their minds to new realms of knowledge. “We had to spend hours listening to N.P.R., reading the news, and getting drilled by our unit coach,” recalls Tara Sardesai, who was on the team last year, “but it made me more aware as a citizen.”

After months of hard work and sacrifice, Gov Team members were finally able to reap the fruits of their labor on December 12th [Dec. 12] when Arcadia emerged as the undisputed champion of the Los Angeles region. The six units accumulated a combined team score of ____ points out of 2160, beating the runners-up from _________ by a dominating margin of _______. “Insert beginning of quote about Regionals,” stated senior To-Be-Determined, “Insert end of said quote.”

Despite this recent success, Gov Team cannot afford to take even a short break. From now until the State Championships tournament, members will have to prepare new competition material and step up their studying, scouring the Internet for resources and following current events more intently than they ever have. Not that these dedicated seniors are ever hesitant to take on a challenge. Ruodi Duan relishes the task ahead of her, stating, “I am more motivated than ever. That is what makes Gov fun – there is so much mutual desire and team spirit. Each day and night spent with the team brings us closer together.”

If all goes well, Arcadia’s Gov Team may finally reclaim the coveted State Championship title, a feat which will qualify them for the National competition in Washington, D.C.

“I am every excited for this year’s group,” says Mr. Fox, “They are really gelling into a community and family, and I am very hopeful that their efforts will pay off.”

Arcadia has not qualified for the National Championships since 1997. This year’s team will be looking to break that trend. December may be firmly rooted in tradition, but it is also the last month of the year before another starts, a month spent in anticipation of new beginnings on the horizon.

December is a month of familiar traditions. While families are busy shopping for Christmas gifts or dusting off ornaments, Arcadia High School’s Constitution Team has been working hard to maintain a holiday-season ritual of its own – winning. For the past twenty-two years, the team has booked a place amongst the top four in the state of California. On Dec. 12, this year’s members took the first step towards continuing this impressive record, emerging victorious in the regional competition, which was held at the 9th District Court of Appeals in Pasadena. They accumulated a combined team score of NUMBER out of 2160, beating the runners up from SCHOOL by a dominating margin.
“Insert beginning of quote about Regionals,” said Senior NAME, “Insert end of said quote.
The team will now advance to the State Championships, slated to take place early February in Sacramento.
The Constitution Team – known more affectionately as ‘Gov Team’ – is composed of 30 senior A.P. American Government students who engage in-depth study of the American Constitution and system of government. Divided into six units of five, each with their own scope of expertise, they compete in mock congressional hearings about the past, present, and future applications of America’s foundational document.
“The program is a wonderful microcosm of democratic society,” says Mr. Kevin Fox, the teacher and coach of Constitution Team, “Students learn to control their own success while working for the benefit of the team as a whole.”
Becoming more independent and informed is indeed the true purpose of Gov Team, although winning is always a nice bonus. Mr. Fox ensures that members never lose sight of this fundamental goal even as they are preparing for competition. Michael Kallin, a current member, describes Mr. Fox as a “guiding light. He never provides answers, but gives us what we need to come to our own conclusions. This forces us to become independent thinkers.”
With his infectious passion for what he teaches, Mr. Fox inspires students to willingly sacrifice their time and energy to the team. “Insert quote about Mr. Fox,” says former Gov Team member NAME, “Insert end of the quote.”
Leading up to competition, both instructor and student devote endless hours to reading, research and practice. Outside of their daily class at school, members hold regular meetings with their own units. They also practice every Monday night at the Arcadia City Council with a group of local attorneys who help sharpen their argumentation and presentation skills. The process is an intense and arduous one, at times leaving students defeated by exhaustion, but never failing to open their minds to new knowledge.
“We had to spend most of our weekends listening to N.P.R., reading the news, and getting drilled by Mr. Fox,” recalls Tara Sardesai, who was on the team last year, “but it made me more aware as a citizen, which I am very proud of.”
Despite their recent success at Regionals, Gov Team cannot afford to take even a short break. From now until the State Championships tournament, members will have to prepare new competition material and step up their studying, scouring the Internet for resources and following current events more intently than they ever have. Not that these dedicated seniors are ever hesitant to take on a challenge. Ruodi Duan relishes the task ahead of her, stating, “I am more motivated than ever. That is what makes Gov fun – there is so much mutual desire and team spirit. Each day and night spent with the team brings us closer together.”
If all goes well, Arcadia’s Gov Team may finally reclaim the coveted State Championship title, a feat which will qualify them for the National competition in Washington, D.C.
“I am very excited for this year’s group, says Mr. Fox, “They are really gelling into a community and family, and I am very hopeful that their efforts will pay off.”
Gov Team has not made a trip to Nationals since 1997, but this year’s team appears poised to break that trend. After all, though December is steeped in tradition, it is also the last month of the year – a month spent in anticipation of fresh starts and new victories yet to come.

December is a month of tradition. While families are shopping for gifts or dusting off ornaments, Arcadia High School’s Constitution Team has maintaining a holiday-season ritual of its own – winning. In every year since the program’s 1989 inception, Arcadia has been amongst the four teams that reach the final round of the California statewide competition.
On Dec. 12, this year’s members took the first step towards continuing this impressive record, winning the regional competition at the 9th District Court of Appeals in Pasadena. The team will now advance to the State Championships, slated to take place early February in Sacramento.
The Constitution Team - known more affectionately as ‘Gov Team’ – is composed of 30 seniors who study the American Constitution and system of government. Divided into six units of five, each with its own scope of expertise, they compete in mock congressional hearings about the past, present, and future applications of America’s foundational document.
“The program is a wonderful microcosm of democratic society,” says Mr. Kevin Fox, the teacher and coach of Constitution Team, “Students control their own success while working for the benefit of the entire team.”
Mr. Fox ensures that members never lose sight of this goal. Michael Kallin, a current member, describes Mr. Fox as a “guiding light. He never provides answers, but pushes us to come to our conclusions. We’re forced to think for ourselves.”
With his infectious passion for what he teaches, Mr. Fox inspires students to willingly sacrifice their time and energy to the team. “He makes us realize just how little we know,” says Gov Team alumna Angela Shen, “which motivates us to go study a even harder.”
Leading up to competition, both instructor and student devote endless hours to reading, research and practice. Members meet in class daily, hold regular study-sessions with their units, and practice every Monday night at the Arcadia City Council with a group of local attorneys who help sharpen their argumentation and presentation skills. The process sometimes leaves students defeated by exhaustion, but never fails to open their minds to new knowledge.
“We spent our weekends listening to N.P.R., reading the news, and getting drilled by Mr. Fox,” recalls Tara Sardesai, who was on the team last year, “but it made me more aware as a citizen, which I am very proud of.”
Despite their success at Regionals, Gov Team cannot take even a short break. From now until February, members must prepare new competition material and step up their studying, scouring the Internet for resources and following current events more intently than ever. Ruodi Duan relishes the task ahead of her, stating, “We actually enjoy working. That is what makes Gov fun – the mutual desire and team spirit.”
If all goes well, Arcadia’s Gov Team may finally reclaim the coveted State Championship title, a feat which will qualify them for the National competition in Washington, D.C. for just the fourth time. Arcadia was fourth in the nation in 1990, national champion in 1993, and runner-up in 1997.
“I am very excited for this year’s group, says Mr. Fox, “They are really gelling into a community and family, and I am very hopeful that their efforts will pay off.”
Judging from their performance so far, this year’s team appears poised to fulfill this prediction. After all, though December is steeped in tradition, it is also the last month of the year – a month spent in anticipation of fresh starts and new victories yet to come.

December is a month of tradition. While families are shopping for gifts or dusting off ornaments, Arcadia High School’s Constitution Team has been maintaining a holiday-season ritual of its own – winning. In every year since the program’s 1989 inception, Arcadia has been amongst the four teams that reach the final round of the California statewide competition.

On Dec. 12, this year’s members took the first step towards continuing this impressive record with their teacher and coach Mr. Kevin Fox at the helm. They won the Regional competition at the 9th District Court of Appeals in Pasadena and will now advance to the State Championships, slated to take place early February in Sacramento.

The Constitution Team – known more affectionately as ‘Gov Team’ – is composed of 30 seniors who study the American Constitution and system of government. Divided into six units of five, each with its own scope of expertise, they compete in mock congressional hearings about the past, present, and future applications of America’s foundational document.

Leading up to competition, both instructor and student devote endless hours to reading, research and practice. Members meet in class daily, hold regular study-sessions with their units, and practice every Monday night at the Arcadia City Council with a group of local attorneys who help sharpen their argumentation and presentation skills. The process sometimes leaves students defeated by exhaustion, but never fails to open their minds to new knowledge.

“We spent our weekends listening to N.P.R., reading the news, and getting drilled by Mr. Fox,” recalls Tara Sardesai, who was on the team last year, “but it made me more aware as a citizen, which I am very proud of.”

Despite their success at Regionals, Gov Team cannot take even a short break. From now until February, members must prepare new competition material and step up their studying, scouring the Internet for resources and following current events more intently than ever. Ruodi Duan relishes the task ahead of her, stating, “We actually enjoy working. That is what makes Gov fun – the mutual desire and team spirit.”

If all goes well, Arcadia’s Gov Team may finally reclaim the coveted State Championship title, a feat which will qualify them for the National competition in Washington, D.C. for just the fourth time. Arcadia was fourth in the nation in 1990, national champion in 1993, and runner-up in 1997.

“The program is a wonderful microcosm of democratic society,” says Mr. Fox, “Students control their own success while working for the benefit of the entire team.”

Mr. Fox ensures that members never lose sight of this goal, even as they prepare for competition. Michael Kallin, a current member, describes Mr. Fox as a “guiding light. He never provides answers, but pushes us to come to our conclusions. We’re forced to think for ourselves.”

With his infectious passion for what he teaches, Mr. Fox inspires students to willingly sacrifice their time and energy to the team. “He makes us realize just how little we know,” says Gov Team alumna Angela Shen, “which motivates us to go study even harder.”

Not even a bad back can deter Mr. Fox from leading the team. “He threw out his back over Thanksgiving,” recalled senior Winston Chang, “but stayed in contact with us through e-mail and inspired us to organize our own meeting.”

“I am very excited for this year’s group, says Mr. Fox, “They are really gelling into a community and family, and I am very hopeful that their efforts will pay off.”