The contest explores the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship and is administered by the Bill of Rights Institute,a non-profit educational organization in the Washington, D.C. area devoted to educating children about the Constitution and founding principles.

Students are asked to share their thoughts on American citizenship by answering the question: “What civic value do you believe is most essential to being an American?”

The top three student winners and their teachers from each of the nine geographical regions will be announced at a Washington, D.C. Awards Gala in the spring of 2011, where they will be awarded cash prizes of $5,000 (First Place), $1,000 (Second Place) and $500 (Third Place). The winning students will also explore the nation’s capital, meet contemporary American heroes and national leaders and visit national landmarks.

Additionally, the contest will award 126 honorable mention prizes of $100 to seven students and their teachers from each region.

The contest is open to students in grades 9-12 who are U.S. citizens or legal residents and are either attending public, private, religious, or charter schools, being home-schooled, or participating in a GED or correspondence school program but are no older than 19 years of age. Military bases and U.S. territories are also invited to participate.

The essay should be no more than 750 words.The deadline for submissions is Dec. 1, 2010. All essays must be submitted by a high school teacher at www.BeingAnAmerican.org.

For further information, including submission criteria and lesson plans, visit www.BeingAnAmerican.org.

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