Northern Mariana Islands
2020 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest Winners
Each year, the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit hosts a regional civics contest for high school students in nine western states, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. For the 2020 competition, students were invited to submit essays and videos in response to the following prompt:
“In the wake of the 15th and 19th Amendments, barriers remained to prevent United States citizens from voting. Do formal or informal barriers remain today? What additional changes would you make, if any, to Americans’ voting rights?”
Entries went through a first round of judging in each of the 15 judicial districts that make up the circuit, and the winners will represent their district in a circuit-wide second round.
This year, the District of the Northern Mariana Islands is excited to announce our local winner is Richard Baleares, a graduating senior at Saipan Southern High School. Richard’s video will now compete against 26 other finalists, after nearly 1,000 students entered across all districts. There is a $2,000 cash prize for the first-place winner.
The Court congratulates Richard for winning the District’s video competition and extends its best wishes at the Circuit finals.
Richard Baleares (Center) is joined by his parents, along with Ramona V. Manglona, Chief Judge, and Heather L. Kennedy, Clerk of Court/Magistrate Judge
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