2026 Incline High School We the People Team Claims Nevada State Championship
With community support, Incline’s students will proudly represent Nevada on the national stage. You can help support the team and invest in the future of our students and community by making a donation today.
Ensure every student can participate in this once-in-a-lifetime experience, regardless of financial circumstance.
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is the nation’s premier civic education program. It is a rigorous program that teaches students to deeply understand the U.S. Constitution, American government, and the responsibilities of citizenship. Students dive deep into constitutional principles. The team is organized into six specialized units spanning philosophical foundations, civil liberties, Supreme Court precedent, and modern constitutional issues. They compete in simulated congressional hearings before panels of attorneys, professors, and civic leaders at the regional, state and national level.
Unlike traditional debate, students don’t argue against opponents—they present sophisticated constitutional analyses, respond to rapid-fire questioning, and defend positions with evidence, precedent, and reasoned judgment. Students are tested on their depth of knowledge, critical thinking, and ability to apply constitutional principles to modern issues.
The preparation mirrors real-world professional environments: intensive research, collaborative problem-solving, high-stakes presentations, and the expectation that every claim be supported, defensible, and clearly communicated.
For a high school with fewer than 300 students competing against schools many times its size, IHS teams that make it to the national competition represent more than academic excellence. It’s proof that rigorous education, dedicated teaching, and community support can level any playing field—and prepare students for success far beyond government or law.
Incline High School has participated in We the People for 29 years, advancing to Nationals 17 times and building a legacy that far exceeds what might be expected from a small mountain school.
At the heart of that legacy is longtime AP U.S. Government teacher and coach Milton Hyams.
Hyams has transformed generations of students into constitutional scholars and disciplined thinkers. Known for exacting standards and relentless preparation, he challenges students to defend positions they may not personally hold—teaching intellectual flexibility, empathy, and analytical rigor.
“Mr. Hyams didn’t just teach government—he taught us how to think,”
one alumnus shared. “He made us believe students from Incline could
compete with anyone. Then he proved it.”
His impact lives on not just in trophies, but in graduates now working in medicine, finance, law, engineering, education, and public service—careers built on the very skills honed in his classroom.
While rooted in civic education, We the People helps students develop necessary skills like:
Alumni consistently report that the program shaped their confidence in public speaking, sharpened their writing, and prepared them for demanding university coursework. We The People doesn’t just create informed citizens—it cultivates capable professionals.