By Jonathan Coronel
The room buzzes with excitement as Allison Rund, Corona social studies teacher and Competition Government team coach, explains to students their tasks for the day.
Corona may have won the Competition Government or “We the People” state championship for the fifth year in a row, but the students still have to balance fulfilling their senior economics class requirement on top of their preparation for the national competition in April.
Like clockwork, Corona has earned a slot at the national tournament in Washington, D.C., where they will face teams from around the country in April.
According to one student, some teams come from prestigious private schools and even have access to lawyers who help prepare them for the event. More pressing than the challenge of competing against other national powerhouses, however, is a more fundamental one: raising the money to be able to go.
“We need to raise $65,000 in order to send all 29 of our students along with several chaperones to D.C. this year,” Rund tells me.
Corona’s team is relying on a variety of funding sources from online fundraising sites, like YouCaring, to tax credits and donations from members of the community.
“It’s just such a great opportunity that we’ve earned to be able to represent our state on a national stage,” Alex Butler says. “I really want us to be able to go,”
Butler’s favorite subjects are history and government, and he plans to attend ASU next year and one day become a high school social studies teacher.
“Who knows, maybe I’ll come back to Corona and have a classroom of my own next door to Ms. Rund,” Butler quips.
In addition to the entire team carrying on the school legacy with their fifth trip in a row to nationals, one member of Corona’s group is continuing a family legacy of his own.
“My dad went to Corona and he was on the first Competition Government team that competed in nationals back in 1987. I think he’s pretty proud of me and excited that I’m getting the same opportunity he got almost 30 years ago,” said Marco Lohavanijaya. “I really like to learn about how our government works; Comp Gov has been a great experience for me and we really worked hard to get this far.”
So far every Corona team over the past five years has been able to fundraise enough to attend the national tournament held at the University of Maryland in late April. Corona’s tight-knit group, along with the determination of their coach, suggest that the generosity of local community members and businesses will come through for them once again.
Aside from that, there always are other options. After hearing them from Alex Butler, I’m convinced that this team will surely find a way to get to D.C. somehow.
“I’m willing to do anything: mow lawns, walk dogs, make beds—you name it,” insisted Butler. “I really want us to be able to go!”
Reporter’s note: Those interested in contributing to the campaign can visit www.youcaring.com/corona-del-sol-we-the-people-502234. Tax credit donations can be made to Youth in Government Club c/o Alison Rund, 1001 E. Knox Road, Tempe, 85824.
