Welcome to the Civics Challenge!
Do you know a budding cinematographer, author, or songwriter? The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy is proud to invite middle and high school students to use their creativity in the annual Civics Challenge. Students can earn $500 and help their peers learn more about civics through videos, essays, and original songs!
Finalists in two categories, middle school (6th-8th grade) and high school (9th-12th grade), will be awarded a total of $5,000 in prizes. The 6th annual Civics Challenge entry deadline is Friday, January 10th, 2025.Â
There are lots of ways to participate in the Civics Challenge!
Have fun, learn about an important civics topic, make a valuable resource for others to see, and you could earn a fantastic prize!
Select A Topic To Learn About:
- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
- Checks & Balances
- Legislative Branch
- Executive Branch
- Judicial Branch
- Citizenship: Rights & Responsibilities
Select How You Want To Participate:
1. Video (see below for more info)
2. Original Song (written lyrics or audio/video)
3. Written Essay (no more than 1,000 words)
Prizes
Middle School:Â Top 5 Entries will win $500 each
High School:Â Top 5 Entries will win $500 each
(10 total prizes awarded)
Who Can Enter
Students currently in 6th, 7th and 8th Grade (Middle School) and 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Grade (High School)
Entry Deadline:Â Friday, January 10, 2025
If you choose to make a video as your artistic form, the videos below give some helpful background and explain more!
Here's our first student host, Hannah - Checks & Balances:
Checks & Balances
- The separation of powers / checks and balances on the three branches of government, as described in the United States Constitution
- Federalism (the division of power between states and the federal government), or...
- The Bill of Rights
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
- 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of Justice O’Connor making history as the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981!
- Learn more about our Founder and make a video about any aspect of her amazing life.
The Legislative Branch
- How a bill in Congress or your state legislature becomes a law
- The U.S. Congress: the different responsibilities of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives
- The structure and powers of your state legislature, city council, or county government
- The U.S. Census: how it works and its impact
The Executive Branch
- How one specific Presidential power works, such as vetoes, executive orders, judicial appointments, or something else you find!
- What federal agencies the Executive Branch includes
- The structure of the U.S. Military and the National Guard
- A Presidential Cabinet role, such as the United States Attorney General, and its equivalent at your state level
- The structure and responsibilities of your state governor’s office, or your city mayor’s office
The Judicial Branch
- The structure of the U.S. court system and how federal courts relate to state courts
- Judicial review and independent judiciary - what are these concepts, and why are they important?
- The rule of law – what is it, and why is it important?
Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities
- The different types of elections: what is a "Primary" versus a "General" or "Special" election? Why is voting important, even in small elections?
- Why do our courts have a jury system? How does the process work, and why is jury duty important?
- How could or should elections change in the future? For example, should they be online? What are the arguments for and against that?
Entering the O'Connor Civics Challenge and being eligible to win the prizes above requires acceptance of the
Civics Challenge Rules
To view previous winning entries, CLICK HERE.