This year, As Your Counsel was proud to be an inaugural sponsor of the We The People program, a transformative civics education initiative that empowers students to become active, engaged citizens. Our founder, Sunny Kakwani, has been a dedicated Unit 3 Coach at McDaniel High School for the past 5 years, and this year, his team won the Unit 3 award at the regional competition.
At the state competition this year, Sunny had the honor of addressing the students and judges. In his speech, he shared his personal story as an immigrant and naturalized citizen, emphasizing how his own experience with the citizenship test at age 18 shaped his conviction in the power of civics education. Sunny's remarks underscored AYC's commitment to amplifying impact in the community we serve by supporting the next generation of leaders.
One of the most inspiring stories from this year's competition was that of two students from Sprague High School in Salem, Oregon. These exceptional young leaders took on the monumental task of representing all six units themselves, a feat that showcased their dedication, knowledge, and passion for the Constitution. Their hard work paid off as they won the regional competition, placed second at the state level, and went on to be crowned national champions in Washington, D.C!
The success of these students and the We The People program as a whole has garnered national attention. The New York Times and The Oregonian both featured articles highlighting the program's impact and the outstanding achievements of its participants.
At AYC, we believe that civic education is one of the most powerful tools we have for creating lasting change. By partnering with organizations like the Civics Learning Project and SOAR Immigration Legal Services, we aim to foster a culture of engaged citizenship and empower the next generation of leaders.
We invite you to learn more about our community involvement and the incredible work being done by the We The People program. Visit our Community webpage and the We The People CLP webpage to see how you can get involved and support this transformative initiative.