- Who says civics has to be boring?

Spokane's first ever televised Civics Bowl is off to an impressive start as six high school teams from Spokane Public Schools go head to head to find out who will be Civics Bowl champion.

This is the final first round matchup (bell rings) and we will learn who advances to the semi-finals, Ferris or Rogers.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] Civics Bowl is made possible by Eastern Washington University, the Avista Foundation, the League of Women Voters of the Spokane Area and of Washington, and by viewers like you.

- Hello, and welcome.

I'm your host, Gary Stokes, President and General Manager here at KSPS.

Thank you for joining us for this inaugural season of Civics Bowl.

Our bracket is filling in.

In the last two weeks, we learned North Central and The Community School will advance to the semi-finals.

The winner of today's match will also advance.

The fourth semi-final spot will go to the remaining team with the highest first round score, so there's a chance both of today's teams will advance.

Welcome, teams!

Let's meet the players from Ferris High School.

- Hi, I'm Kyleigh.

I'm a senior at Ferris High School.

- And I'm Cate.

I'm also a senior.

- Hi, I'm Sylvia.

I'm a senior.

- I'm Jack.

I'm also a senior.

- [Gary] And the Ferris alternate is Sam and Coach Mara Bischoff join us today in the audience.

And the team from Rogers.

- Hello, I'm Mercy, and I'm from Rogers.

- Hi, I'm Jayda.

- Hi, I'm Annika.

- Hi, I'm Anthony.

I'm a senior at Rogers.

- And the coaches for Rogers are Jamie Oleson and Stacey Ward.

(upbeat music) We will start play, as we always do, with the Toss-Up Round.

All players are eligible to buzz in and answer the toss-up question.

After correctly answering a toss-up question, the winning team will receive a related bonus question.

You can collaborate on the bonus question only.

All correct answers in this round are worth ten points.

For all questions, you must wait until I finished reading the question for you to buzz in.

Players, are you ready?

- [Players] Yes.

- Let's start today's Civics Bowl.

(pensive music) A committee of five Founding Fathers drafted the Declaration of Independence.

Who among them was the primary author?

(buzzer beeps) Jayda.

- Thomas Jefferson?

- Correct, and the bonus now goes to Rogers.

What month, day and year was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

- July 4th, 1776.

- Correct.

Toss-up for both teams.

What document provided for the formation of the first official government of the United States?

(buzzer beeps) Kyleigh.

- Constitution?

- [Gary] No.

(buzzer beeps) Mercy.

- Article of Confederation?

- Correct.

And the bonus goes to Rogers.

When did that first government become official?

I need your answer.

(alarm blares) March 17, '81 March 17, '81.

Toss-up for both teams.

What document replaced the Articles of Confederation as the basis for American government?

(buzzer beeps) - [Gary] Mercy.

- The Constitution.

- Correct.

Bonus to Rogers.

What needed to happen before the Constitution could take effect?

(alarm blares) Time's up.

The document needed to be submitted to and ratified by at least nine states.

And now, it's time for a toss-up guest video.

Please refer to the monitor.

- Hi, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington here, and here's your question.

Most tribes have a tribal constitution that defines the structure of government and an elected tribal council that serves as their central leadership.

But the tribal council rarely acts alone, seeking input from what type of groups?

(alarm blares) - The answer is committees, committees.

And since no one got the toss-up, we will not go to the bonus.

So let's move on to the next toss-up.

Under what circumstance might a naturalized person's citizenship be revoked?

(buzzer beeps) Kyleigh.

- Treason.

- Yes, you are correct.

And now, here's the bonus.

Who determines whether a naturalized citizen has committed fraud or misrepresentation of facts during the naturalization process?

I need an answer.

- Supreme Court?

- Federal court.

Judges?

It is wrong.

Okay, we are now to the next guest video, and here it is.

- Hi, I'm Dr. Adam Swinyard, the Superintendent of Spokane Public Schools.

Here's your question.

What is it called when five or more of the nine US Supreme Court justices agree on a decision?

(buzzer beeps) - [Gary] Cate?

- A majority?

- Correct.

And now, here is your toss-up bonus, again, from Superintendent Swinyard.

- And now, your bonus question.

The justices in the minority often write dissenting opinions expressing why they disagree with the majority.

Why are dissenting opinions so important?

- Because it helps our democracy.

- Because they may be used later to overturn a decision of the court.

Here's your next toss-up.

Congress has a huge amount of authority over American national policy, both foreign and domestic.

What phrase is usually used to refer to the legislative powers that are specifically defined in the US Constitution?

(buzzer beeps) Sylvia.

- Expressed powers?

- Correct.

Here's your bonus.

Other powers of Congress are implied.

Which clause gives Congress the power to make laws regarding some subjects that are not expressly stated in the Constitution?

(alarm blares) Necessary and proper clause, also known as the elastic clause.

Here's your next toss-up.

What type of constitutional right protects a person's right to do whatever they want as long as they don't infringe on the rights of others?

(buzzer beeps) Jayda.

- Bill of Rights?

The Bill of Rights.

- No.

Personal rights, personal rights.

Okay, now we have a photo toss-up.

Pictured here, which Founding Father argued for a middle ground approach in forming a new government, suggesting a government in which power was balanced between a strong national authority and state authorities?

(buzzer beeps) Cate.

- James Madison.

- Correct.

And here's your toss-up bonus.

What innovative idea did Madison suggest for the organization of the legislative branch?

- A bicameral.

- Correct.

Here's your next toss-up.

What is the minimum number of representatives each state must have in the House of Representatives?

(buzzer beeps) Annika.

- Two?

- [Gary] No.

(buzzer beeps) Kyleigh.

- Three.

- Nope, one, one.

Here is your toss-up.

Name the position, not the person, that presides over the US House of Representatives?

(buzzer beeps) - The Speaker of the House.

- Correct.

And for your bonus, who is the current Speaker of the House?

- Nancy Pelosi.

- Correct, and here's your last question.

Here's your toss-up.

Who presides over the US Senate and has the deciding vote in case of a tie?

(buzzer beeps) Sylvia.

- The Vice President?

- Correct.

And the Vice President also has other duties that take him or her away from presiding over the Senate.

Who takes the VP's place when necessary?

- Secretary of State.

- President pro tem, president pro tem.

(alarm blares) Okay, that's all for this round.

Well done, well done.

(audience applauds) And now, we're gonna take a moment to get to know a little bit more about our student contestants here.

So we'll start with Ferris.

What's your favorite subject in school, and why?

Kyleigh.

- I like English because I really enjoy reading and writing.

And so I'm taking creative writing this year.

- [Gary] Nice.

Cate?

- I would have to say being a part of the Ferris Jazz Orchestra, so the band program because it's just where I found my community at Ferris.

- [Gary] Nice.

Sylvia.

- I'd say history, like more specifically, comparative government 'cause it's interesting to see what's happening around the world outside of our school.

- [Gary] Jack.

- I would have to say English.

I love to write, and just exploring all the breadth of literature is just really nice.

- [Gary] Nice.

Mercy, how about you?

- I like science because I like to do research, and the lab work is interesting.

- [Gary] Jayda?

- My favorite subject is biomedical sciences because it's just always changing and adapting, and it's very fun to just learn something new.

- [Gary] Captain Annika.

- My favorite subject is history because I just really like learning about what once was and how we're living in it today.

- [Gary] And Anthony.

- My favorite subject is environmental science because I'm passionate about the environment and preserving nature.

- Nice.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for the opportunity to get to know you all a little bit better.

And stay tuned, the Head-to-Head round is coming up right after the answer to last week's Question of the Week.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] Which animal helped inspire the name given to gerrymandering?

The correct answer is C, the salamander.

With the realization that the new boundaries approved by Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry looked like the animal, the Boston Gazette added the governor's last name, Gerry, to the word salamander, and voila, gerrymandering was born.

A new brain teaser is coming up later in the show.

(upbeat music) - Okay, so after the first round, it's Ferris, 80, Rogers, 40.

The teams have now joined me at the Head-to-Head set.

In this round, each team member will go up against a member of the opposing team, one-on-one.

Questions in this round are worth 10 points.

And again, you must wait for me to finish reading the question to buzz in.

Everybody ready?

Let's go!

In the 1860s, cartoonist Thomas Nast first portrayed the then major political parties as animals.

Name the two parties and the animal logos that continue to this day.

(buzzer beeps) - Donkey and elephant.

- Correct, and what, and what parties?

- Oh, donkey with Democrat, and elephant with Republican.

- Thank you very much.

All right, next.

True or false, only a small percentage of federal employees work in Washington, D.C. (buzzer beeps) - True.

- Correct.

Name two courts under the US Supreme Court in the federal court system.

(buzzer beeps) - A state court and a district court.

- No, that would be the US district courts, courts of appeal, bankruptcy courts, Article 1 courts.

Which Washington state elected position supervises state and local elections and certifies the results of state primaries and general elections?

(alarm blares) Secretary of State, Secretary of State.

True or false, King County, the largest county in Washington state, was originally named after William R. King, the vice president under Franklin Pierce?

(buzzer beeps) - True.

- You are correct.

It was renamed in 1986 after civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.

Immediately following the signing of the US Declaration of Independence, what form of government was established in the American Colonies that joined?

(buzzer beeps) - Federalism?

- Nope, a confederation.

Okay, true or False.

Federalists argued that a strong federal government would become oppressive unless its powers were limited by something such as a bill of rights.

(buzzer beeps) - True - False.

This was the argument of the anti-federalists.

And this is the last question.

According to the US Constitution, the Supreme Court may decide which of the following cases, a divorce in Washington, D.C., a controversy between two states, a civil case between a serving US Senator and his uncle, or D, both B and C?

(buzzer beeps) - B.

- You are correct, a controversy between two states.

And that is the end of this round.

Thank you very much, great job.

Head back to your sides, and we'll learn more about each team's school coming up next.

(upbeat music) With bragging rights on the line with the Civics Bowl championship, we also wanted to give each school a chance to show off a bit.

Here now is a student-produced video from Rogers.

- We are Rogers Pirates and here, where our school is like a family.

- We have 1,525 students, all happy to be here and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

- There are two movies that were filmed here, Hangman's Curse and Vision Quest, and there are so many different ways to get involved, like ROTC and drama.

- [Group] Good luck at the Civics Bowl.

You've got this.

- Not to be outdone, here's a video from our friends at Ferris.

(upbeat music) - Hey, everyone.

My name's Kyleigh, one of 1,635 students here at Joel E. Ferris High School.

- Located at the top of the South Hill at Spokane, Washington, Ferris High School advise their students to explore their ideas and expand upon their many interests.

- Here at Ferris, we are Saxons, and every Saxon is unique in their own way.

Every incoming class finds out that the most special thing about Ferris is our school spirit and pride.

- Our school is so unique and interesting that we've had not one, but two movies filmed here in our campus before it was rebuilt into a new state of the art building.

- Ferris is not only very important to our students, but also active members in the community.

And we are very excited to get our ideas out there to a wider audience.

- Welcome to M207.

This is where the magic happens.

The students have been working really hard.

Really excited to participate in this to get an awareness out of the importance of being a citizen and learning about the government and being part of our community.

(group cheers) - Civics Bowl!

(upbeat music) - It's time now for the category round.

We have six categories for you to choose from, each with five questions which increase in point value from 10 to 30.

Here are your categories, Tax Season, A Bicameral Dilemma, At the City Level, So, You Wanna Serve, Your Vote, Your Voice, and Reconstruction.

Teams will alternate turns.

You can skip around to different categories.

However, you cannot jump ahead in point value.

Points are deducted for wrong answers in this round, but you can pass on a question with no penalty or toss a question to the other team.

If you're tossed a question, you must answer and will either win or lose the associated points.

This is where some strategy comes into play.

Rogers, you get to pick first.

(pensive music) - We're gonna go with Your Vote, Your Voice.

- Your Vote, Your Voice for 10 points.

Five Amendments to the US Constitution have expanded voting rights.

Which individuals benefited from the passage of the 15th Amendment?

I need an answer - African Americans?

- Correct.

You are correct.

Over to Ferris.

- Can we have Reconstruction for 10?

- [Gary] Reconstruction for 10.

Once again, here's Dr. Swinyard.

- The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution are known collectively as the reconstruction amendments.

Why is that?

- Because they were made post reconstruction and, or post the Civil War and benefited African American rights.

- Correct.

All right.

Rogers?

- [Annika] So You Wanna Serve.

- So You Want To Serve.

For 10 points, how old do you have to be to serve in the US House of Representatives?

- 25.

- Correct.

Ferris.

- [Cate] Can we have Bicameral Dilemma for 10?

- Bicameral Dilemma it is for 10 points.

And here again is Washington Governor Jay Inslee.

- In determining how representation in the newly formed US Congress would be allotted, two opposing plans emerged.

Could you name both?

- Can we pass?

- [Gary] You may.

The answer is the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan, or the Large State Plan and the Small State Plan.

Rogers?

- [Annika] At the City Level.

- Name the three kinds of city or town governments.

- Pass.

- The answer is the mayor council form of government, council manager form of government, and municipal government.

Okay, over to you, Ferris.

- [Cate] Could we have Tax Season for 10?

- Yes.

What was the British Parliament's first direct tax on the American Colonies?

- The sugar tax?

- [Gary] No.

- Tea?

- Stamp Act.

Rogers.

- [Annika] Reconstruction.

- Reconstruction it is for 15 points.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except under what circumstances?

(alarm blares) Time's up.

Except for convicted criminals, convicted criminals.

All right, Ferris.

- [Cate] Could we have A Bicameral Dilemma for 15?

- Bicameral Dilemma for 15.

The Virginia Plan proposed that representation within both chambers of Congress should be based on each state's population.

What impact would this have?

- It would cause more representation and less equal representation depending on the state's population.

- [Gary] Yes.

Rogers, you're up.

- [Annika] Your Vote, Your Voice.

- Your Vote, Your Voice for 15.

Five Amendments to the US Constitution have expanded voting rights.

Which individuals benefited from the passage of the 19th Amendment?

- Women.

- Correct.

And back to Ferris.

- [Cate] Could we have At the City Level for 15?

- At the City Level for 15.

Which form of city government does Spokane have?

- A mayor council.

- Correct.

Rogers.

- [Annika] So You Want To Serve.

- So You Want To Serve for 15 points.

How old do you have to be to serve in the US Senate?

- 35?

- [Gary] No.

- 30.

- Correct.

Back to Ferris, last question.

- [Cate] Tax Season for 15.

- Tax Season for 15.

The Stamp Act taxed nearly every piece of printed paper the Colonists used.

What year was it imposed?

- 1765.

- Correct.

(alarm blares) And that wraps up this round.

The score update, 170 for Ferris, 60 for John Rogers.

And we'll be back with the final round after the Question of the Week.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] In 1859, the Washington Territorial Legislature passed an act changing Washington's capital from Olympia to what city?

A, Seattle.

B, Vancouver.

C, Tacoma.

D, Spokane.

Do you know the answer?

Follow the QR code on your screen, or go to ksps.org/civicsbowl to submit your answer and be entered into a drawing to win a prize.

The deadline to enter is Monday at noon.

And please, you're on the honor system here.

No Googling!

We will contact the winner directly and let you all know the right answer next week on Civics Bowl.

(upbeat music) - The scoring update is 170 for Ferris, 60 for John Rogers.

And those are the totals that stand as we get ready for the very last competition, and that is the lightning round.

So in this round, we'll put 90-seconds on the clock.

Teams, this is your chance to run up the score by answering as many questions as you can in that time.

Each correct answer will be worth 20 points.

Points will be deducted for wrong answers.

Teams, are you ready?

(pensive music) Question one.

Are all people lawfully residing in the United States automatically citizens of the United States?

(buzzer beeps) Annika.

- No.

- You are correct.

Which amendment to the US Constitution ensured that Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only president to serve more than two terms in office?

(buzzer beeps) Jack.

- 22nd?

- Correct.

Which amendment to the US Constitution provides for a well-regulated militia as a necessity to the security of a Free State?

(buzzer beeps) Jack.

- Second?

- Correct.

The 16th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted to overturn a Supreme Court decision regarding taxation.

What does this amendment allow Congress to do?

(alarm blares) Collect federal income taxes.

Congress passed a law in 1868 giving Americans the right to voluntarily give up their citizenship.

What is this process called?

(buzzer beeps) Kyleigh.

- Denaturalization.

- Expatriation.

What process is written into the US Constitution as the way to select the president?

(buzzer beeps) Sylvia.

- Electoral college.

- Correct.

The Constitution's founders intended the Legislative Branch to closely reflect the will of the citizens, which gives the branch what nickname?

(alarm blares) People's branch.

It is easier for a bill to die than it is for a bill to become law.

What is the nickname for the multiple ways to kill a bill?

(alarm blares) And that's the end.

The answer is vetogate, vetogate.

And we have our next entry into the semi-finals.

(group applauds) So let's take a look at the bracket.

Of the three losing teams in round one, Lewis & Clark had the highest score, and therefore will advance to play Ferris.

Congratulations to all the advancing teams, and a big thank you to all the teams for taking part.

Next week, we begin the semi-finals.

Join us Monday at seven o'clock to see North Central take on The Community School for a spot in the championship match.

Those of you at home, thanks so much for joining us for Civics Bowl.

We hope to see you again next week.

Good night, everybody.

(audience applauds) (upbeat music) - [Announcer] The Civics Bowl is made possible by Eastern Washington University, the Avista Foundation, the League of Women Voters of the Spokane Area and of Washington, and by viewers like you.

If you are a regional school interested in taking part in Civics Bowl next year, we wanna know.

Go to ksps.org/civicsbowl to fill out our online contact form.