The 1787 Prize
National Council for the Social Studies
$2,500Deadline: Mar 31, 2027· 153 days leftCompetition · light effort
About
An annual essay contest for U.S. high school students in grades 11–12 that recognizes the best student essay about the U.S. Constitution’s past, present, and future relevance. Winners receive a monetary prize. Essays must incorporate primary and secondary sources and include a footnote and bibliography. Submissions may have up to three co-authors and are limited to one submission per high school.
Recognize the best annual student essay on the subject of the U.S. Constitution’s past, present and future relevance by exploring how our written principles align with this vision of citizen engagement.
Academic achievementEssay
Who can apply
Be a high school student in grade 11 or 12.
“The 1787 Prize is open to all high school students in grades 11–12 who reside in the United States.”
Reside in the United States.
“The 1787 Prize is open to all high school students in grades 11–12 who reside in the United States.”
Essay prompts
- 1.Part One: Rewrite each of the five rights in your own words (two to three sentences per right). Stay true to the spirit and intent of the Founding Fathers, but write it as if you were drafting it for today — how might you phrase or envision that right in a modern context? Note: While your rewrite of each right should be concise — two to three sentences — please add one to two paragraphs, for each one, to explain your reasoning and how you arrived at that modern phrasing.
- 2.Part Two: Propose one additional right you believe belongs in the First Amendment. In two to three sentences, state the right and defend why it deserves the same protection as the original five. Note: Both parts are required for full credit.