July 4, 2026 is the Deadline for Entries to the the FCBA Annual Constitution Contest
The Northern District of New York–Federal Court Bar Association (NDNY-FCBA) is now accepting submissions for its 11th Annual Constitution Contest, an academic competition open to all high school students (grades 9–12) residing in the 32 counties of the Northern District of New York. The Constitutional Scholars Contest Flyer can be downloaded here.
Students may submit entries in one of two formats:
- Short video essay (posted to YouTube)
- Creative poster (digital or paper; submitted in PDF format)
Entries must address one of four topics regarding the U.S. Constitution:
- The independence of federal judges
- The 17 enumerated powers of Congress
- The 27 amendments to the Constitution
- James Madison’s “If men were angels…” passage from Federalist No. 51
All entries must be received no later than the end of July 4, 2026. Winners will be announced on Constitution Day — September 17, 2026.
Each entry will be evaluated by a panel of federal judges, with prizes awarded in both the Video and Poster categories:
- 1st Place — $1,000
- 2nd Place — $400
- 3rd Place — $100
- Honorable Mentions — $25
Official rules and full contest details are available at https://ndnyfcba.org/awards-and-special-programs/constitutional-scholars-program/