College Students may submit: Essay, Song, STEM, Short Film, Social Media Video, or PSA. All entries that utilize copyrighted music, film clips, or photos MUST obtain the proper licensing permissions IN ADVANCE of submitting the entry, in order to be considered.
The winner will also be invited to attend the Winner Mentor Trip tentatively scheduled for June 2024 (all costs fully covered).
Submissions due no later than 11:59 p.m. September 17, 2023 submitted electronically through the online portal on this site. See Official Rules Section III for complete submission instructions.
Essay: Recognizing our form of government is a Republic, write a 500-1,000 word essay on how our First Amendment rights (RAPPS: Religion, Assembly, Press, Petition, Speech) enable the citizens to influence the laws of our country or initiate a constitutional amendment and, in so doing, prevent the dissolution of the Republic in the ways that have affected other nations in the past (e.g. violent rebellion/uprising or coup d’etat). The essay must be no shorter than 500 words and no longer than 1,000 words, typed or handwritten. Essay entry and filled out entry form may be mailed or submitted electronically through the online portal on this site, but MUST include student’s name, age, and year on every page of the essay. If mailing, the essay and entry form must be included. See Official Rules Section III for details.
Song: As citizens under a republican form of government, how do we use the First Amendment (RAPPS: Religion, Assembly, Press, Petition, Speech) to change the laws of our country or create a constitutional amendment and, in so doing, prevent the dissolution of the Republic in the ways that have affected other nations in the past (e.g. violent rebellion/uprising or coup d’etat). The song must be an original pop, country, rock, or other popular genre song composition with lyrics and music written by the student, no longer than 3:20. Song submissions should be uploaded to YouTube (640 x 360 minimum, HD preferred) or Vimeo (download enabled) and must include a video recording of the performance or a still photo with audio in the background. The song title must be in the title of the uploaded video and the song lyrics must be in the description of the video. See Official Rules Section III for details. See Official Rules Section III for details.
STEM:
Pick 1 of the following 4 STEM projects. If your project is a website or app, include 2 paragraphs as to how you would market your project.
Technology
Option 1: Please create a web interface that effects change using your First Amendment rights.
Engineering
Please create a phone application that can be used by Constituting America to incorporate the various materials on our website (videos, essays, founding documents, white papers, etc.)
Math
Option 1: Please create a graphical representation of our amendment process. It should include the years that all of the amendments have been ratified and how long each amendment took to be ratified from initiation to ratification. Please include brief background material on how the amendments originated.
Option 2: Please create a quantitative analysis of the effects of a certain amendment. Example: How many 18-20 year olds have voted since the 26th amendment, and what is the effect on voting results? Conduct an analysis of female voting patterns since the 19th Amendment, or African American voting patterns since the 15th amendment.
Science
How did the freedoms outlined in the Declaration and the Constitution accelerate science and scientific thinking?
See Official Rules Section III for details about STEM.
Short Film: Please create a 5-10 minute short film that represents how the Constitution (specifically the first amendment and our election process) prevents thus preventing the dissolution of the Republic in the ways that have affected other nations in the past (e.g. violent rebellion/uprising or coup d’etat). Incorporate historic examples. Must be an original film written and directed by the student. Up to two students may collaborate on and submit the short film. It must be no shorter than 5 minutes and no longer than 10 minutes in length. See Official Rules Section III for details.
Social Media Video (60 second maximum): (1) Please create a 60 second maximum video (Instagram reel, youtube short, etc) that represents how the first amendment rights (Religion, Assembly, Press, Petition, Speech) can be used as tools to effect change in the country and/or amend the Constitution, thus preventing the dissolution of the Republic in the ways that have affected other nations in the past (e.g. violent rebellion/uprising or coup d’etat). OR (2) Why are civil civic conversations important in our society today? It must be no longer than 60 seconds in length, originally written and directed by the student and recorded. Up to two students may collaborate on and submit the Social Media Video. Social Media Video submissions should be uploaded as 1080×1920 (9:16 aspect ratio) with the highest resolution possible to YouTube or Vimeo (download enabled). See Official Rules Section III for details.
PSA (30-second): (1) Please create a 30-second commercial that represents how the first amendment rights (Religion, Assembly, Press, Petition, Speech) can be used as tools to effect change in the country and/or amend the Constitution, thus preventing the dissolution of the Republic in the ways that have affected other nations in the past (e.g. violent rebellion/uprising or coup d’etat). OR (2) Why are civil civic conversations important in our society today?
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Awards Available: 5