For Students

Thank you for your interest in the Bill of Rights Institute's Being an American Essay Contest. In this year's Contest, students will be asked to write about the civic value they believe is most important to being an American.

As a participant, you will trace the enduring importance of this value throughout American story by discussing: a Founding document that reflects this value; a figure from American history who embodies this value; and examples of how you have and/or could put this value into practice.

America's Founders believed that civic values were important. Their writings expressed that the government created by the Constitution was unfit for anything but a virtuous people.

"Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation
of republics." ~ John Adams

"A popular government cannot flourish without virtue in the people." ~ Richard Henry Lee

The freedoms we enjoy in America depend on all citizens - even young citizens - exercising civic virtues every day. By living out values like courage, justice, moderation, responsibility, and many others, you are helping to keep alive what is best about America.

We hope that you will write an essay and tell us your story about being an American!