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BRIEF: Eighth graders scheduled to take Constitution test, Dec. 11

testing
[/media-credit] Since there is quite a bit of material to learn and study, Rojeski has study sessions for the students, and makes it a requirement to have a binder for the test material.

As the 25th annual Constitution Test approaches, eighth graders are rushing to do some last minute studying. Students have been preparing for this test for over a month. American History teacher, Hallie Rojeski, teaches the eighth grade class about the importance of the Constitution and its contents.

Since there is quite a bit of material to learn and study, Rojeski has study sessions for the students, and makes it a requirement to have a binder for the test material.

“We started officially on Oct. 26,” Rojeski said. “In order for the students to really know the Constitution, it takes more time than for most topics because much of it is new and not many have much experience or knowledge about government. A few study tricks I tell my students to do are to review every night, go to the study sessions at lunch and after school, play games and quiz programs on the internet. I also encouraged them to study with someone and tell their parents what they know.”

Rojeski acknowledges that students that have previously taken the test like to tell the eighth graders that if they fail the test, they will fail eighth grade, just to scare them. Since it is worth 200 points and covers a lot of material, this puts some extra stress on participants.

“The scare from older kids doesn’t really help the students study more,” Rojeski said. “It just made them feel even more anxious.”

A few days before the big test, Rojeski and a few eighth grader’s parents help set up and hold a Constitution lunch. The lunch consists of a formal lunch in the Jackie Johnson room and taking an oath as “U.S. senators.”

“Every year we have the constitution lunch, which is a special meal in honor of the hard work the students have put in studying the Constitution,” Rojeski said. “In the fall of 1992, a mother brought cinnamon rolls to the students in one of my classes to eat after the test and decided to make sure all students were rewarded. The next year four mothers organized a meal for all students in rooms 626-628. This lunch is now a tradition. We will not being taking the oath this year because of the short time and hectic schedule we have.”

Eighth grader, Kayla Fermanian, is confident about knowing the qualifications to be eligible to become Vice President or President.

“Though I have a firm knowing of the qualifications, my weakness are knowing what are the articles and which is which because of the excessive amount of them,” Fermanian said. “Some frustrations that I have for the constitution test is that I have to remember so much information, learning it over a period of time, and might forget parts of it. It?s a big test and it?s a little nerve racking that I’m not going to be able to do my best. I’m most afraid of not having enough time for the test and knowing that it?s a big part of your grade.”

Alex Rurik, ’19, feels like short answer questions will be difficult because there are multiple things to explain for each question.

“I know articles 1-3 well because we have gone over it a lot,” Rurik said. “My weakness is the amendments because it’s the most recent thing we’ve learned and there are so many to remember. I?m anxious that I’m not going to do well, because I didn’t study enough, or over studied.”

Freshman Tyler Villines, took this same test last year as an eighth grader.

“I thought that the test wasn’t as hard as everyone said it was,” Villines said. “I recommend that the eighth graders go to the after school lectures because Mrs. Rokeski pretty much gives you what?s gonna be on the test. Study hard and pay attention because this test can make or break your grade.”

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @_nataliatorres1

For more news, read the Dec. 5 article, BRIEF: Leadership invites campus to Christmas Tree Lane, Dec. 10.

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