We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is a civics curriculum developed by the Center for Civic Education (Center). The program, utilized in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms, is intended to foster civic competence and responsibility among America's youth. While educating youth about the principles of American constitutional democracy, the program stresses the contemporary relevance of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and deepens students' understanding of democratic institutions in the United States. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act. Once the curriculum is completed, students prepare to participate in the culminating activity: a simulated congressional hearing. The hearing tests students' knowledge of the history and contemporary relevance of American democratic institutions and the Constitution. While preparing for the simulated hearing, students hone public speaking and analytical skills, and demonstrate their ability to support their opinions with facts and to cooperate in small groups. High school students are given the opportunity to participate competitively, starting at the congressional district level and advancing to a state competition. The winning class from each state competes at the national finals in Washington, D.C. In the spring of 2009, a sample of those classes with the most intense exposure to the We the People program--the high school national finalists--was surveyed to evaluate the impact of the program. The survey instrument was designed by the Center to assess students' civic knowledge and engagement and ascertain their perceptions of the program. This report compares the percentage of correct responses from the We the People survey with the corresponding national survey. Due to the diligence and study efforts of the We the People national finalists, they are more likely to perform better on civic knowledge surveys than the average civics students.