Two Brown County classrooms have earned a visit from an Indiana Supreme Court justice through a statewide contest to celebrate Constitution Day.

Social studies teacher Michael Potts at Brown County Junior High School and Rebekah Sims and Barb Kelp of Brown County High School special services were among the 10 winners chosen from 40 applicants.

Teachers had to describe why a visit from one of the state’s five justices would benefit their classrooms.

Kelp and Sims wrote that a visit would enrich their special education class’s Indiana history unit as they learn about how the state government and constitution work. The students have been creating a large and detailed Indiana history timeline, their letter said, “beginning with the ancient mound builders’ cities and ending with the 2012 election.” Students are preparing questions for Justice Steven David’s visit Sept. 21 about a typical week as a Supreme Court justice, how the justices go about writing majority and minority opinions, and how they use the state constitution when making rulings.

“We are super excited about the visit,” Sims said.

David also will visit Potts’ eighth-grade accelerated history We the People class on Sept. 21. Students in that course study the constitution and the workings of American government, and for the past two years, a BCJHS team has won the We the People state championship.

Potts hopes David’s visit will further engage his students in the virtues of civic duty.

Constitution Day is celebrated each September in recognition of the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

-- Sara Clifford, Brown County Democrat