Civics in the First Circuit

U.S. Court Civics Contests
 

2025–2026 Third Circuit Essay Contest
The Courts, Community, and Rule of Law Committee of the Third Circuit hosts an annual essay contest for 5th and 6th grade individuals and classes in Delaware, New Jersey, the Eastern/Middle/Western Districts of Pennsylvania, and the Virgin Islands. This year's prompt: "Does the United States Constitution address the grievances in the Declaration of Independence? If so, explain how." Deadline is March 31, 2026; winners present at Law Day events at one of nine Third Circuit courthouses in early May. More info: ca3ccrofl.powerappsportals.us.

Fourth Circuit Civics Essay Contest
An annual student essay contest (grades 6–12) open to students in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, hosted through the Fourth Circuit's Courts4Civics program. The page is updated each year with a new constitutional-law prompt; winners are announced in late summer and presented at the Fourth Circuit's Constitution Day Program each September.

Seventh and Eighth Circuits Bill of Rights Day Contest
An annual essay, art, poem, video, photography, or song contest for students in grades 5–12 across Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, hosted jointly by the U.S. Courts of the Seventh and Eighth Circuits (as of the most recent running, this was the "Fifth Annual" contest). Note: this page has recently been redesigned as a general Bill of Rights Day teaching-resource hub rather than a dedicated contest page — check with your local district court's civics/outreach contact each fall for that year's current entry details and deadline.

Annual Ninth Circuit Civics Contest
An essay and video contest for high school students in the western United States, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, sponsored by the United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit. The 2026 contest theme was "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness — Your Voice. Your Story. Your America." Winners are announced each spring; several Ninth Circuit district courts (e.g., the Eastern District of Washington, below) also run their own local round feeding into the circuit-wide competition. Contest rules and entry instructions are available at: ca9.uscourts.gov/civicscontest.

Eastern District of Tennessee Civics Essay Contest
An annual local essay contest for middle and high school students in the Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Greeneville Divisions' service counties, co-hosted by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and local chapters of the Federal Bar Association. Announced each winter with a new prompt; check connections.tned.uscourts.gov/participate.html or the site's Events/Articles pages for the current year's version.

Sixth Circuit-wide Civics Contest (new)
Separate from the district-level Tennessee contest above, the Sixth Circuit's "Connections: You, Your Courts, Your Democracy" now runs its own circuit-wide contest for students in grades 9–12 across Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The 2026 edition asked students to design an original graphic public-service campaign poster (with a 500-word description) on "250 Years of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness — The Judiciary's Role in Upholding America's Promise."

Eastern District of Texas

Law Day Art Contest
Now in its 2026 running — open to students in the Eastern District of Texas's divisions, with winning and honorable-mention entries displayed at the U.S. Courthouse in Beaumont.

Eastern District of Washington
The Bill of Rights Photography Contest referenced here previously appears to have been discontinued. In its place, the court now runs "When Duty Calls: Why Exercising the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship is Important to Me" — the local component of the Ninth Circuit's essay/video contest (above), open to high school students in 20 eastern-Washington counties. Local winners ($1,000/$500/$250 for 1st–3rd) advance to the Ninth Circuit-wide competition.

Middle District of Florida Student Contests
Currently features the 2025–2026 Fort Myers Federal Art Contest, plus an ongoing Annual High School Essay Contest; specific contests vary by division and are coordinated with local school systems.