Covington | Maple Valley Reporter

The Tahoma High School team that won this year’s “We the People: The citizen and Constitution” statewide competition came to the state Capitol last week as guests of Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah, and Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn.

“When it comes to academic achievement and competition, I can’t think of better role models for their peers and for students across the country,” said Mullet. “These students are amazing. They are truly and officially the best.”

“We the People” is a national civics competition that began in 1987 and has had more than 30 million students and 90,000 teachers participate. This year’s competition marked Tahoma High School’s 18th “We the People” state championship. In April, the students will represent the State of Washington at the 28th anniversary “We the People” National Finals in Washington, D.C.

“The ‘We the People’ experience lasts for life as students are much more likely to contact public officials, volunteer in their community and participate in democracy,” said Fain, who served as a judge for the competition this year and in the past. “Having seen these students compete, I’m incredibly proud of their passion for civic engagement.”

The Tahoma team is coached by Gretchen Wulfing, who was named Washington’s Civic Educator of the Year in 2011. Tahoma High School has a long record of excellence in competitions at the national level. The school’s team placed fourth in the nation in 2000; captured the Western Regional Award in 2001 and 2008 and 2014; took the top Unit Two in the Nation Award in 2003; placed in the Top Ten in 2012 and 2013; and earned the Top Unit Five in the Nation Award in 2010 and 2011.