Local students win big in civics contest
Riley McCling, Ashton Hickerson, Bradley Mason, Ayden Kelley and Isabelle Ristine were honored Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
COEUR d’ALENE — Local students earned top awards in a statewide civics contest.
The U.S. District Court for Idaho honored three Post Falls High School students and two students from Moscow High who won the annual essay competition. The students were recognized Tuesday during a ceremony at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
The contest for high schoolers, which received a record number of entries this year, challenged students to propose a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution and describe how they would get the proposed amendment ratified. Students submitted essays and videos addressing the topic.
Delaney Blenkinson of Boise High School won first place in the video essay category, while the team of recent Post Falls High School graduates Bradley Mason and Ashton Hickerson earned second place. Riley McCling, also a new Post Falls graduate, won third place.
Mason and Hickerson said they were surprised and thrilled to learn they’d won a $500 prize for their video essay, which argued for an amendment requiring additional driver’s license testing for drivers as they age.
“It really opens your eyes to what’s possible if you put in the work,” Hickerson said.
In the written essay category, Ayden Kelly of Moscow High School won first place, Megan Tomlinson of Liberty Charter School in Nampa won second place and Isabelle Ristine of Moscow High School finished third.
Shirlee Gage, jury specialist for the District of Idaho, helped judge the contest entries. She said she was impressed by the students’ efforts and glad to see them honored for their hard work.
“I have chills,” Gage said. “It makes me so proud to be an Idahoan and see there are young people coming up who want to make the world a better place.”
U.S. Magistrate Judge Debora K. Grasham said the contest is an opportunity for students across Idaho to engage meaningfully with civics, as well as to give them perspective on the court system.
“This is one of my favorite things that I get to do,” she said with a smile. “Usually, people aren’t too happy to see me.”
Grasham also praised the local teachers whose students finished in the top three of their categories, Jeremy Zender of Post Falls High School and Gerald Dalebout of Moscow High School.
“I want to recognize the teachers who help us get here,” she said.