Policy in Action: Sophomore Defense Showcase

Since its inception in 2013, the Sophomore Policy Defense project at FWCD has been a significant milestone in students’ academic journeys. This project, initiated by the History Department, not only allows students to delve into a topic they are passionate about but also showcases their ability to research, articulate and defend policy recommendations. 

Over a span of two months, sophomores immersed themselves in extensive research to draft their policy recommendations. Each student presents their recommendation to a faculty or staff member, who acts as a 'Secretary' for the department relevant to the student's topic. 

In the 3,000-word or less whitepaper, the students advocated a particular position or policy recommendation related to their topic. The “Secretary” read each presenter’s whitepaper before presentation night, listened to the oral defense, asked questions, and filled out a grading rubric for the U.S. Government Teachers to use during the grading process. 

On May 1, family members, faculty and staff gathered in Upper School classrooms for Sophomore Oral Defense Night to support the students and the time-intensive work. Starting at 5:30 p.m. and running every 15 minutes until 7 p.m., the presentations took place in 16 classrooms, with 16 students presenting for 10 minutes simultaneously. Without notes, each student eloquently articulated and defended their proposal, showcasing their knowledge and ability to engage in meaningful discourse.

This year’s pressing issues included AI music generators and copyright laws, climate change and nuclear energy, illegal immigration, human trafficking prevention and victim support, deprivatizing health care and lowering pharmaceutical costs, ceasing U.S. funding to Israel, ending corporal punishment in grades K-12 schools, campaign finance reform, early childhood obesity, the unionization of amateur athletes, banning lethal injection in death penalty cases, and many more.   

“Every year, I am impressed with the students’ depth of knowledge and ability to articulate and defend their recommendations,” said Upper School History Teacher Sara Teegarden, who helped create this project in 2013. “You may wonder how these young people can write on complex topics and then stand for 10 minutes to defend their research and conclusions. They can, and it is a magical night!”

In a message to faculty and staff, Teegarden and Upper School History Teacher Bryce Beschorner shared, “If you live with one of these young people and they downplay the evening and what they are going to be doing, hear from us that it is an experience you will not want to miss, if at all possible.”

For the first time since their implementation, presentations took place before the class’s culminating Sophomore Washington D.C. Trip.

“Students who have been through our Sophomore Policy Defense are so well-prepared for so many future challenges involving presenting and defending their opinions,” said Head of School Eric Lombardi. “The program is a difference-maker. Bravo to Sophomore History Teachers Sara Teegarden and Bryce Beschorner for preparing the Class of 2026 so well.”

The Class of 2026 left for D.C. on Sunday, May 5, to spend five days in the nation’s capital immersed in an experiential learning opportunity that allows students to see and practice the concepts taught in their government and history courses.