(dramatic music) - A chance to match your wits with Spokane County's best and brightest civics and history high school students, it's Civics Bowl 2024.

We're back for our third season.

10 area high school teams will go head-to-head, but only one will bring home the trophy.

(lively music) - [Announcer] Civics Bowl is made possible by Eastern Washington University, the Avista Foundation, the League of Women Voters of the Spokane area, and of Washington, and by viewers like you.

(lively music continues) - Hello, the teams are ready and so are we.

I'm your host and president, general manager of KSPS, Gary Stokes.

Ahead tonight, four rounds of tough questions and a chance for you to see if you can compete with these students.

Here's a look at the brackets.

In our single elimination tournament, Liberty, last year's champion, beat University High and is ready now for North Central.

Let's meet each team first.

Up first, North Central High.

- Hi, I'm Callie.

- Hi, I'm Sam.

- Ezra.

- Hi, I'm Tommy.

- [Gary] We also wanna thank North Central's alternate, Sami Masiarek, as well as coach, Jonathan Knight.

And now the team from Liberty.

- Hi, I'm Allison.

- Hi, I'm Mitchell.

- Hi, I am Z'hanie.

- Hi, I am Carter.

- And in the audience we have Liberty alternate Gwen Olson and their coach, Randy Degenhart.

So up first, the toss-up round.

(lively music) We provided teams with rules, and there's a copy for those watching at home online at KSPS.

In a nutshell, I'll ask a toss-up question to all players.

Only after I finish can a student buzz in with an answer.

The right answer means the winning team gets a bonus question.

You are encouraged to collaborate with your teammates only on the bonus questions.

Teams, are you ready?

- [Sam] Yup.

- Let's go.

What permanent state agency was created as a result of the Centennial Accord?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- Department of Labor?

- That is incorrect.

The Office of Indian Affairs.

Our toss-up question is from Aaron Hitefield, a poli sci professor at Whitworth.

- Ratified in 1913, this amendment to the United States Constitution changed who elected U.S. senators, specifically shifting them from being chosen by their state legislature to now a direct vote by the public.

(Ezra presses buzzer) - Ezra.

- 17th?

- That is correct.

And here's your bonus.

According to Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, who is responsible for opening the certificates transmitted from members of the electoral college to Congress?

- The vice president?

- That is correct.

And here is your toss-up.

Spokane County auditor Vicky Dalton oversees all elections.

She has our next question.

- If an individual does not have permanent residence, what address can be used to register to vote?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) - [Gary] Mitchell.

- Their place of work?

- That is correct.

And here's your bonus.

According to Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, if the electoral college ties in voting for who should be elected president, what body votes to choose one of the candidate for president?

- House of Representatives.

- [Gary] That is correct.

And here's your next toss-up.

Of the two judicial philosophies, judicial restraint and judicial activism, which philosophy adheres to original intent of the constitutional framers and precedent?

(Tommy presses buzzer) Tommy.

- Judicial restraint?

- That is correct.

And here's your bonus.

What is the only method to remove a federal judge?

- Impeachment?

- [Gary] That is correct.

Toss-up, both teams.

Congress has created courts for the nation's territories.

These courts sit in three locations.

Name two.

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- Guam and American Samoa.

- That is incorrect.

North Central?

(time runs out) Virgin Islands, Guam, and the North Mariana Islands.

Take a look at the picture on the monitor.

It is considered the birthplace of the Constitution.

What is its name?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- Independence Hall?

- That is correct.

Here's your bonus.

What earlier governing document did the Constitution replace?

- The Articles of Confederation.

- [Gary] That is correct.

What term describes the division of power among a central government and several regional governments?

(Tommy presses buzzer) - Federalism.

- That is correct.

And your bonus, true or false, only the federal government has the power to collect taxes.

- False?

- [Gary] That is correct.

Here's your toss-up, both teams.

Which of the following principles is not one of the six basic principles upon which the Constitution is built?

Checks and balances, separation of powers, individual freedom, popular sovereignty.

(Allison presses buzzer) Allison.

- Popular sovereignty.

- [Gary] That is incorrect.

- Individual freedom?

- Individual freedom is correct.

And here's your bonus, true or false.

The process by which the Constitution can be amended has evolved over time.

- False?

- That is correct.

(bell chimes) And that is the end of this round.

Thank you all.

And we'll be back in a moment to get to know the players and play the head-to-head round.

(audience applauds) (vibrant music) - [Announcer] Time now for the answer to last week's question.

Which offices are third and last in line to succeed the U.S. president if he or she dies in office?

The president pro tem of the U.S. Senate is third in line to succeed.

The office is currently held by U.S.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington.

The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security is in last place in the chain of command.

(lively music) - We'd like to take a moment to get to know our players and their schools a little bit better.

We've asked each school to produce a video for Civics Bowl.

Here's North Central's.

- [Narrator] North Central High School is located in the heart of Spokane, Washington.

Founded in 1908, NC educates and builds the finest students in all our city to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Our students are indeed Wolfpack strong.

They persevere to achieve great things in the classroom and in the field of play.

They respect each other and our community, they cheer loudly and proudly, they inspire each other to be the best they can be, they celebrate our traditions, but can't wait for the future.

They discover amazing new things.

They are a family, they are a pack.

The strength of the wolf is truly in the pack at North Central High School.

(audience applauds) - Well done, North Central.

We're now gonna get to hear from you a little bit.

In addition to your class year and your favorite hobby, what is one hot button topic you'd like to help solve?

Let's start with Callie.

- Hi, I'm Callie.

My favorite subject is English.

And something that I'd like to help solve would be climate change.

- [Gary] Thank you.

Sam.

- Hi, my name is Sam Parker, I'm a senior.

My favorite topic is probably music.

And a hot button topic that I would like to help solve is road rage and issues with that.

- Ezra.

- Hi, my name is Ezra, my favorite hobby is doing puzzles.

And one hot button topic I'd like to help solve may be the NIL and college payment systems.

- My name is Tommy, I'm a senior.

My favorite pastime is wrestling.

And one hot topic issue I'd like to help solve is alcoholism.

- Excellent, thank you.

(audience applauds) And now let's meet the Liberty players.

(engaging violin music) Nicely done, Liberty.

(audience applauds) Players, same question to you.

Your name, your favorite hobby, and your hot button topic.

Allison.

- My name is Allison, I am a freshman.

I enjoy playing my violin, and a hot button topic I would like to help solve is fossil fuel alternatives.

- [Gary] Thank you.

Mitchell.

- Hi, my name is Mitchell, I'm a junior.

I like reading and studying history, and a hot button issue I'd like to help solve is gerrymandering.

- Hi, I'm Z'hanie, I'm a junior and I like reading.

And a hot button topic I would like to address and fix is substance abuse issues.

- Hi, my name is Carter, I'm a freshman.

I enjoy playing basketball.

And hot topic I'd like to fix is drug distribution and abuse.

- Thank you very much.

Thank you, teams.

And thank you for being here.

(audience applauds) We're gonna get back to the match with the head-to-head round coming up next.

But first, a thank you to the Spokane branch of the League of Women Voters.

Their volunteers prepared hundreds of questions for this competition and we couldn't do this without them.

Thank you for your hard work, and we'll see you at the next round.

(audience applauds) Now it's time for the head-to-head round.

Again, we've got the rules online so you can follow along, but here's a quick look at them.

You still need to wait until I finish asking the question before you buzz in.

Each right answer is worth 10 points and players cannot work together to find the answer.

Let's remind everyone of the score.

Central, 80, Liberty, 40.

Are you ready?

- Yes.

- Let's go.

True or false, the vast majority of proposed amendments to the Constitution have not been sent onto the state for ratification.

(Tommy presses buzzer) - True.

- That is correct.

Next.

Which body did Woodrow Wilson describe as a constitutional convention in a constant session?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) - Congress.

- That is incorrect.

- Supreme Court.

- That is correct.

What was the common name for laws that states passed declaring that people of different races could not share the same facilities?

(Sam presses buzzer) - Segregation?

- Judge?

Incorrect.

- I don't know.

- Jim Crow laws, Jim Crow laws.

Which civil rights leader said, "Power concedes nothing without a demand.

It never did and it never will."

(Carter presses buzzer) - Martin Luther King Jr. - Incorrect.

- I don't know.

- Frederick Douglass.

In order to vote, every state requires a person to satisfy three qualifications.

Name all three.

(Tommy presses buzzer) - Be 18, be a resident of the state, and not have any felony crimes.

- That is incorrect.

- Be 18 years of age, be a citizen of the United States, and not be a criminal.

- That is incorrect, residence was the third one.

Residence.

Next.

In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in New York Times versus Sullivan that defamatory falsehoods about public officials can be punished.

What must a public official prove in order to meet the court's standard of a defamatory falsehood?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) - Genuine malice.

- That is correct.

Next.

Why can shopping malls restrict people from collecting signatures on petitions?

(Sam presses buzzer) - Right of association?

Right of association.

- That is incorrect.

- Fraud.

I don't know.

- Because they're privately owned properties.

Next.

Creative products protected by copyrights and patents, such as books, movies, music, or video games, are called what?

(Callie presses buzzer) - Copyright?

Copyright.

- Incorrect.

Intellectual property.

Which founding father was quoted as saying, "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.

Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite."

(Tommy presses buzzer) - Alexander Hamilton?

- Incorrect.

- Thomas Jefferson.

- James Madison.

James Madison.

In 2006, the U.S. House passed the Flag Desecration Amendment passed the House, but our question is how close was the vote in the U.S. Senate?

(Ezra presses buzzer) - Two votes from passing.

- Four votes from passing.

- Measure failed to meet the two-thirds majority by just one vote.

One vote.

What 1776 key document detailed the American colonies' major grievances against British rule?

(Sam presses buzzer) - Declaration of Independence.

- That is correct.

And here is your last question in this category.

What is the plaintiff's burden of proof in a civil trial?

(time runs out) Preponderance of the evidence.

Thank you very much, teams, great job.

Here's a quick score update.

North Central, 110.

Liberty, 50.

Don't go anywhere.

Up next, the students face off in the category round.

(lively music) Welcome back.

In just a few minutes, we'll have a chance for folks at home to answer a civics question for some sweet KSPS bling.

But first, our judges reconsidered an answer from the head-to-head round and adjusted the score accordingly.

That means North Central gained 10 points.

So the scoring is now North Central, 120, Liberty, 50.

And now it's time for the category round.

In this round, teams will answer questions from the following categories: Second Continental Congress, Freedom of Religion, Women in Leadership, Citizenship 101, and Our Legislature.

Teams will alternate choosing a category, but you can't jump ahead from a 10-point question to one of higher value.

And this time, points will be deducted for wrong answers.

Again, these rules are online and the student teams received them last fall.

They can decline to answer a question.

That's a way to make sure you don't lose points.

And it forces the other team to answer.

And you can toss the question to the other team.

They have to answer, but a team can only toss three times.

Okay, teams, let's go.

Liberty.

- [Mitchell] We'll do Freedom of Religion for 10.

- Freedom of Religion for 10, what did the Equal Access Act of 1984 permit in public schools?

- Individual student prayer.

- That is incorrect.

Any public high school that receive federal funds must allow student religious groups to meet in the school on the same terms that it sets for other student organizations.

North Central.

- We'll do Our State Legislature.

- Name two ways the work of Washington State legislators affects you as a high school student.

- Setting the budget and passing laws that can directly affect education.

- That is correct.

Liberty.

- [Mitchell] Our State Legislature for 15.

- How often are Washington State senators elected?

- Four-year terms.

- [Gary] That is correct.

NC?

- [Ezra] We'll do Our State Legislature for 20.

- When does the legislature launch its new session in the state of Washington?

Need an answer.

- January 2nd?

- That is incorrect.

The second Monday in January.

Liberty.

- [Mitchell] Our State Legislature for 25.

- Every other year, the Washington State legislature determines state funding.

What is this called?

- The budget.

- [Gary] More.

- The biennial state budget.

- [Gary] That is correct.

For Central.

- [Ezra] Citizenship 101.

- Name one place besides Puerto Rico that is not one of the 50 states where a child born is a United States citizen.

- Samoa, American Samoa.

- [Gary] That is correct.

- Our State Legislature for 30.

- And this wraps up category.

True or false, both the Washington State House of Representatives and the Washington State Senate have to agree on the exact wording of a bill before the bill is passed.

- True.

- [Gary] That is correct.

- [Ezra] We'll do Second Continental Congress for 10.

- Second Continental Congress for 10.

Name two documents produced by the Second Continental Congress.

- Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation.

- [Gary] That is correct.

Liberty.

- We'll do Second Continental Congress for 15.

- What was the British government's response to colonial discontent in 1774 and 1775?

- They sent in troops and passed laws to repress the colonists.

- [Gary] That is correct.

North Central.

- [Ezra] Second Continental Congress.

- Where did the Second continental Congress meet starting in May of 1775?

- Philadelphia?

- [Gary] That is correct.

Liberty.

- Second continental Congress for 25.

- On what basis did King George III reject what was called the Olive Branch Petition?

- He felt that it was interfering with his right to rule as king.

- That is incorrect.

The king declared it an illegal document drafted by an illegal congress.

- [Ezra] Second Continental Congress for 30.

- And wrapping up this category, who was the president of the Continental Congress?

- George Washington.

- [Gary] John Hancock.

- [Mitchell] We'll do Freedom of Religion for 15.

- Why did the First Amendment prohibit the government from establishment of religion?

- The founders wanted America to be a place where, unlike England, certain religions were not persecuted and there was greater religious tolerance for all citizens.

- [Gary] That is correct.

- Citizenship 101.

- Citizenship 101 for 15 points.

The civics portion of the U.S. citizenship test has 100 questions, but not every applicant for citizenship needs study for all of them.

Tell me what two qualities an applicant must have to only be required to prepare for certain selected questions.

- We'll toss.

- Our team's answer is you must have served in the military of the United States and you must have a sponsor willing to vouch for you.

- That is incorrect.

If you're 65 years old or older and have been a lawful permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk.

Liberty.

- We'll do Freedom of Religion for 20.

- Freedom of Religion for 20.

The Lemon Test, decided in the 1971 Supreme Court case Lemon v. Kurtzman, established a three-prong test to see if an issue violated the Establishment Clause.

Name two of the three prongs.

- The support given must not be usable for religious instruction and the support given must not be targeted at a religious institution.

- That is incorrect.

The three prongs are as follows: must have a secular legislative purpose, must have a principal or primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion, must not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.

- [Ezra] We'll do Freedom of Religion.

- In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a landmark case called Espinoza versus the Montana Department of Revenue.

The case focuses on private schools and the use of your tax dollars.

Please summarize the decision.

- We'll toss.

- This case ruled in favor of charter schools and said that it was legal to use like school vouchers.

- That is incorrect.

A state need not subsidize private education, but once a state decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.

- We'll do Freedom of Religion for 30.

- Freedom for 30, despite the First Amendment, religious freedom was long denied to which of the following groups?

Quakers, Catholics, Native Americans, evangelicals.

- Native Americans.

- That is correct.

(bell chimes) And that ends our round.

Here's a quick look at the score.

North Central, 110, Liberty, 85.

Only one round remains, the lightning round.

And it's coming up next.

(audience applauds) (vibrant music) - [Announcer] Many U.S. presidents started from humble roots.

We've all heard the story of President Lincoln and the log cabin.

But do you know which U.S. president grew up in this Iowa cottage?

He also accidentally set fire to his father's farm, but went on to serve as the director of U.S. Food Administrations and the third U.S. secretary of commerce.

Do you know the answer?

Scan this QR code or head to ksps.org/civicsbowl to submit your answer.

You'll be entered in a drawing to win a prize.

The deadline to enter is Monday at noon.

We'll notify the winner and give the right answer next week on Civics Bowl.

(lively music) - We're just one round from learning who will be next to advance in the Civics Bowl tournament this season.

In the lightning round, we'll put 90 seconds on the clock.

The idea is to answer as many of these 20-point questions as you can in that time.

No conferring, and get ready to go.

Ready?

Let's go.

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 was passed in response to what situation?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- 9/11?

- That is incorrect.

Presidential election of 2000 and the Florida punch card voting issue.

What's a ballot initiative?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- A proposal by the citizens to directly legislate.

- [Gary] That is correct.

The capital of Washington State is located in which county?

(Tommy presses buzzer) Tommy.

- Olympia?

- Nope, we needed the county, Thurston County.

How long are legislative sessions in Washington State?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- 70 days.

- That is incorrect.

Even-numbered year, 60, odd-numbered, 105.

Each legislative district in Washington State elects how many senators?

(Ezra presses buzzer) - One.

- [Gary] That is correct.

True or false, in most European democracies, voter registration is required under law and unless citizens opt out, their names are automatically entered on registration lists.

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- True.

- That is correct.

Who has been nominated as a presidential candidate more often, a sitting U.S. senator or a sitting state governor?

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt?

- We needed the office.

And it was a sitting state governor.

True or false, neither party has ever nominated a candidate for president who was a sitting member of the House.

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- True.

- That is correct.

True or false, the Libertarian Party has fielded candidates in every presidential election since its founding in 1971.

(Mitchell presses buzzer) Mitchell.

- True.

- That is correct.

(bell chimes) And the time is up.

Well done, teams.

Taking a look at the final score now.

North Central, 110, Liberty, 105.

That means North Central will advance in tournament play.

Congratulations to all the teams.

Thank you very much for being part of Civics Bowl.

We hope you'll join us next week as we inch closer to seeing who will bring home the trophy.

Thank you, we hope you enjoyed playing along at home.

See you next week.

And I'm gonna go say hi to our contestants.

Take care, buh-bye.

(audience applauds) - [Narrator] The Civics bowl is made possible by Eastern Washington University, the Avista Foundation, the League of Women Voters of the Spokane area and of Washington, and by viewers like you.

If you are a regional school interested in taking part in Civics Bowl next year, we wanna know.

Go to ksps.org/civicsbowl to fill out our online contact form.

(lively music) (lively music continues)