Students from Lower Gwynedd Elementary School tied for second place in The Rendell Center’s Citizenship Challenge Finals held at the National Constitution Center this month.

10 schools from the Commonwealth of PA were selected as finalists from 200 submissions of essays answering, “Should the Constitution be amended to eliminate the Electoral College system for selecting the President and replace it with the national popular vote”.

The Rendell Center, which promotes civic education and engagement with support from the Annenberg Public Policy Center, hosted this event and challenged each class of 4th and 5th graders to interpret their award-winning essay in a dramatic skit, song or dance. Students from Lower Gwynedd Elementary School did a skit that dramatized their essay. 

While there were four schools announced as First Place and a three-way tie for Second Place, all of the students were winners because they experienced this exciting day, including a tour and lunch, with judges Governor Edward G. Rendell and Judge Marjorie Rendell and their son Jesse Rendell, who is executive director of Connor Barwin’s Make the World Better organization. 

As a second-place prize winner, Lower Gwynedd Elementary School received a check for $500 presented by the Phillie Phanatic, the Rendell’s and Ivan Watson of Watson Construction Managers.