Caden VanValkenburg [left] and other Maggie Walker Governor’s School students faced off against the Glen Allen High School team coached by Caden’s dad, state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, in an annual civics competition. (Photo courtesy Civic Entertainment Group)
Students and teachers at several Richmond-area high schools can now add “reality TV star” to their resumes.
“Citizen Nation,” a new PBS docuseries airing this month, covers the annual competition of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, in which students around the country must prove their understanding of the U.S. Constitution and American government. The series follows various schools as they go head-to-head in regional and state competitions before making their way to nationals held earlier this year in Washington, D.C. Teams from Douglas S. Freeman High School, Glen Allen High School and Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School all placed in the top 12 in the national finals.
“We’re the best locality in the country for We the People,” says Schuyler VanValkenburg, a Virginia senator, teacher and coach for the Glen Allen High School team. “We showed that [in] this past year, and it was a lot of fun.”
In simulated congressional hearings, students defended their arguments in front of a panel of professors, attorneys, politicians, judges and government officials.
“It’s really empowering when a kid can break down a constitutional amendment in front of a constitutional scholar or state supreme court justice,” VanValkenburg says. “It’s the best way to teach U.S. government. Students are engaging in the different interpretations of the Constitution and learning what it means to be an American citizen.”
The competition was especially heated this year, as VanValkenburg’s team was up against the 2023 reigning national champions from Maggie Walker Governor’s School, which included his son, Caden.
“It definitely felt like being on a reality show,” Caden says. “Not only did we have the pressure of the competition, but we had the stress of being on camera and recounting what we were thinking in the moment.”
Now a freshman at James Madison University, Caden hopes to go into law and ultimately follow in his father’s footsteps by serving in government.
VanValkenburg says he would love for every government class in Virginia to participate in We the People, a program conducted by the Center for Civic Education.
“It models how to be a good citizen, how to respect both sides and make thoughtful remarks,” VanValkenburg says. “The data shows that kids who go through the program are more likely to vote and are overwhelmingly more optimistic about America’s future. It’s something that brings us all together, and that’s especially important right now.”
PBS’s “Citizen Nation” premieres at 9 pm. Oct. 8. The episodes air Tuesdays through Oct. 29.
