Last update: April 20, 2006 – 11:14 AM

Law firm comes through with money to send Duluth students to Washington

Larry Oakes, Star Tribune

DULUTH - Minnesota's student champions of the Constitution can stop worrying about travel expenses and focus on doing well later this month at the national "We the People: The Citizen and Constitution" contest in Washington.

A national law firm with roots in Minneapolis on Tuesday pledged the entire $15,000 that Duluth Central High School's honors American government class needed to represent Minnesota in the competition, which judges teams on their knowledge of constitutional principles.

The firm, Foley & Mansfield, pledged to make similar donations in each of the next five years to help send Minnesota's winners to the national competition, sponsored by the Center for Civic Education.

"These young men and women, and others like them, represent our future community leaders," said Stephen Foley, one of the firm's founding partners. "They should be recognized for their efforts and supported by the community."

Foley pledged the donations after reading a Star Tribune story about how Central had won the state competition five years in a row but was struggling to raise the last $15,000 of the $29,000 the class needed for airfare and lodging.

Teacher Ethan Fisher said he was overwhelmed by the firm's generosity and couldn't wait to tell his students. Some had said their families couldn't afford the $470 each student still needed before the donation came in.

Larry Oakes • 1 218-727-7344