Louis Akkermans
Louis Akkermans is 21 years old and beginning his MA in Public Interest Media and Communication. Interested in filmmaking, he hopes to find a path that would allow him to write for the screen, though video production as a whole is a passion of his and one he could inhabit in any facet. Topics he is interested in are politics, philosophy, inter/intrapersonal relationships, and intimacy/loneliness.
Casey Chapter
Casey Chapter is a senior at Florida State University studying Digital Media Production and Literature. Throughout her education, Casey has been interested in journalism in all of its forms, from print newspapers to radio broadcasts to documentaries. While she currently serves as the Managing Editor of the FSView & Florida Flambeau (FSU’s independent, student-run newspaper), she aims to be a documentary producer in the future and hopes to attend FSU’s graduate program in Public Interest Media & Communications. In her free time, Casey enjoys reading, writing, and playing with her dog Lucy and her cat Ashe.
Watch Louis & Casey’s Winning Short Film Below!
Our Interview With Casey & Louis
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Casey: Yes, I had never previously entered any of Constituting America’s contests.
Louis: Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
Casey: I was referred to Constituting America’s contest by Izzy Cring, who has won the contests for best high school song and best college song. We have worked together on video projects in the past. She also works with Constituting America now.
Louis: Both Casey and I heard about the competition through our friend Izzy Cring.
What inspired your work?
Casey: As a journalist, I have done a lot of reporting on local city commissions, boards, and committees of various kinds. I was interested in the idea of using the format of a local political meeting, such as a sub-committee meeting, and playing with it to create a funny and honest film that shows how the system works.
Louis: We wanted to poke some fun at the stalling, slow-moving, and unimportant debates that sometimes occur in government. Our video was meant to hyperbolize some of the drawbacks that occur in a ruminating democracy.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
Casey: I learned that creating a film is a complex and sometimes difficult endeavor, but it’s worth it once you get to see the final product. I’m very proud of what we came up with.
Louis: A creative partner is invaluable. Casey and I hadn’t worked in that capacity before, and once we passed the awkward idea formulation stage production was like a well-oiled machine.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Casey: As a journalist, I think about and talk about the first amendment a lot. I plan to continue to educate my peers on the importance of a free press and the many other freedoms included in the Constitution.
Louis: By my words and actions. We sometimes forget the purpose of government; how it works and why it works the way it does. It’s important to critique our systems, but before we do that we must understand why those systems were put in place. Sometimes we find that those systems should stay upheld and other times they should change. The constitution grants us a foundation to begin that discussion.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Casey: I have engaging discussions with my friends about the U.S. Constitution and government system.
Louis: This is admittedly a subject that doesn’t come up often in conversation. If it does, it’s usually framed through the topic of current events. It’s a subject that is missing in most people’s thought processes.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
Casey: I love that America has a free press, as I think this is a vital part of a democracy. This allows everyone to be informed about their government and their communities.
Louis: The tenacity of our government. We live in the longest lasting governmental institution of the modern day. It’s through the belief of its people and the stability those founding documents provide that our country has lasted for so long; that is to be admired.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Casey: I would like to visit Mount Rushmore in my lifetime.
Louis: I would love to visit the Grand Canyon one day.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Casey: Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an inspirational figure that I look up to. After learning about her struggles throughout her life, and how she managed to become a successful lawyer and eventual Supreme Court Justice while juggling being a mother, I felt inspired by her tenacity.
Louis: Even the best and brightest of U.S. history can be mired with scandal and unsuccessful policy. Though controversial I find Franklin D. Roosevelt to embody much of what is desirable in a leader. Providing stability during a destabilizing crisis and creating policy that uplifts and secures the average American. You find these qualities in other figures, but FDR is a stark and prominent symbol of those characteristics.
Who is your greatest role model?
Casey: My mother is my greatest role model. She managed to become a successful business owner while being a single mother at a young age, and has always been my role model growing up.
Louis: There are many people I take great inspiration from but there is no one I wholly want to emulate. There are people who demonstrate skills or characteristics that I would like to mimic, but it’s more a process of taking all the good and leaving the bad.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
Casey: I am most passionate about informing people and staying informed myself on international, national, state and local occurrences. I feel that it is important to be fully informed from multiple sources of information in order to have my own understanding of events and phenomena throughout the world.
Louis: Currently, it’s figuring out what I am passionate about. I have a love for many things, so I suppose I’m passionate about creating a “life formula” that allows me to do as many lovely things as I can.
How do you spend your free time?
Casey: I spend lots of time reading and writing. I also enjoy filming and editing documentary-style videos.
Louis: I exercise, consume media, write, and spend time with friends and family. What most people do.
What are your plans for the future?
Casey: I plan to pursue a Master’s degree at Florida State University and eventually become an independent video journalist or documentarian.
Louis: I want to make films in some capacity.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Casey: I enjoy telling people’s stories so that the world is more aware of what is going on around them. Writing nonfiction news stories about everyday people and their struggles allows others to become more aware of their communities and can lead to people taking action.
Louis: As a filmmaker my skills lie in effectively communicating ideas visually. If opportunity allows, I want to contribute to communicating a crisis or issue to a mass audience through that medium.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
Casey: The Constitution comes up every day in political discussions between citizens, politicians, activists, and others throughout America. It is the basis for American citizens’ rights, and provides us with foundational rights that help maintain our democracy.
Louis: It guides every action and debate that takes place in government.
Giovanni Adu-Gyamfi
My name is Giovanni Adu-Gyamfi. I am 19 years old, and I am a freshman at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), where I am majoring in public health. I spent most of my childhood in Old Bridge, New Jersey, but I currently live in Parlin, New Jersey. From a young age, I was fascinated by the world around me, participating in STEM-based activities and taking STEM classes. I enjoy reading, writing, helping others, and spending time with my family. In the future, with a public health degree, I hope to go into research helping regulate the spread of diseases and looking into more ways to prevent them.
Watch Giovanni’s Winning PSA:
Dakare C. Chatman
Dakare C. Chatman is 16 years old and is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. Dakare got his start in theatre. Some of his many roles include Ollie in Yes Virginia, Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol, Prince Chufa Chulalongkorn in The King and I, Ralphie in A Christmas Story, and Seaweed J. Stubbs in Hairspray. In 2017, he moved into film, Dakare has a commercial which played on the ION TV Station, and 5 billboards thanks to Constituting America. Dakare is on the youth advisory board of Constituting America as well. Dakare was featured in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones and Netflix’s Outerbanks. Dakare has been public speaking, singing, and acting since the age of 5. Dakare hopes to be a politician during his lifetime, similar to Ronald Reagan, Dakare’s goal is “Actor first, politician later”. Dakare’s life quote is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
View Dakare’s winning work:
Watch Dakare discuss his winning work, as well as his experiences with Constituting America, here!
Lily Cring
Lily Cring is a 17-year-old senior at Western High School in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She is President of the Theatre and Drama Club, President of her Chorus, and a National Speech & Debate competitor. She has a passion for contributing to her community, and in her free time is an intern for a non-profit that organizes student-led programs for feeding underprivileged children. She has a special place in her heart for cows and has sworn off eating beef for that reason. She has been accepted to attend the University of Central Florida in the fall.
View for Lily’s winning PSA
Alexandra Gusinski
Alexandra Gusinski, a 12-year-old, residing in Greenwich, Connecticut – is a first-generation American born in Los Angeles, on December 25, 2007. She is of Israeli-Russian descent and is the granddaughter of Russian-Israeli media tycoon, Vladimir Gusinsky.
As a nature and marine life enthusiast, at age ten she received her Junior PADI Open Water Scuba Diver certification – she spends hours exploring the sea, only to later spend hours reading and researching the flora and fauna that she just saw. By age 11, she has already been shark-feeding, cave diving, and night diving.
Academically accomplished, at age 11, she joined the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY). She has broad interests ranging from performing and studio arts to social activism and global studies. During her summer breaks, she enjoys taking enrichment courses and travels to explore new places and learn about different cultures.
Alexandra has the 1st Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do Korean martial art and enjoys self-defense combat training and sparring sessions, she competed in the 14th U.S. Masters Taekwondo Open Championships 2019 in Massachusetts and won first place in sparring and board breaking.
Alexandra is an advanced Jazz, Ballet and Hip-Hop dancer at the Greenwich Dance Studio and performed with her dance group at The Performing Art Center in Purchase, New York.
She enjoys horseback riding – she rides on the weekends near her house and participates in equestrian riding competitions in her hometown. During the winter season, she likes to ski and ice skate.
In 4th grade, as a consequence of her cultural trip to explore France with her mother, her interest in knowing more about the world’s social issues grew. Walking down the streets of Paris, Alexandra witnessed first-hand the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe. Upon her return home, she engaged in independent research so that she could talk about this issue in her school and present ideas of how kids could help. Her school’s newsletter praised Alexandra for her social activism.
The summer after graduating from 5th grade, she visited the United Nations headquarters in NY, and soon after joined the ‘Model UN and Advanced Geography’ three- week intensive summer camp by John Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY). She is a passionate debater who cares about human rights and animal rights.
Alexandra attended Whitby Montessori Private International Baccalaureate School from age two, for ten years, and transferred in 6th grade to KING Private school. Walking in school corridors, Alexandra carries her sketchbook with her everywhere she goes. While in 6th grade, she is the youngest person to attend the 8th grade Math Honors program in her school. She is the head of the newspaper club and enjoys exploring the visual arts, writing, filming, directing, and video editing.
At age 12, Alexandra won the Constituting America National Award for her Public Service Announcement on the First Amendment that she animated, written, and produced by herself.
Alexandra was chosen to be a member of the Youth Advisory Board of Constituting America, a group founded by Janine Turner and co-chaired with Cathy Gillespie, dedicated to teaching students and adults across America about the nonpartisan relevancy of the U.S. Constitution and the principles of self-governance inherent in our founding documents.
View her work here:
Wyatt Hensley
This is the second time this trio has created and won a division of Constituting America! Wyatt Hensley is 16 and a sophomore from Joplin MO. He is active in the FFA, student council, t.v. productions, as well as DECA and FBLA. He also is an Eagle Scout! On Sundays, Wyatt can be found serving at his church. Wyatt is a member of the youth advisory board for Constituting America and has appeared on Constitutional Chats. He enjoys spending time with family and friends. He loves American history and to travel to places. Unsure of where his schooling will take him, he would like to take all that he has learned and become a park ranger at the National Historical Sites.
Jonah Hensley
Jonah Hensley is an 18 year old senior from Joplin. He is involved in leadership positions in FFA (local and area), student council, DECA, FBLA, the National English Honor Society, and National Honor Society. He is also an Eagle Scout and active in his church. Jonah will graduate from Joplin High School with his Associates Degree from the local community college. In his spare time, he enjoys working out. Jonah has served on the youth advisory board for Constituting America and has helped with the Constituational Chats. He will be attending Midway University in Kentucky on swimming and academic scholarships while majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in Biology.
Halley Moak
Halley Moak is 17 years old and is home schooled. She also attends Estes Park High School and Front Range Community College. She has served the past ten years on the Youth Advisory Board for Constituting America, served on the Youth Advisory Board for Young Rider magazine and volunteers extensively for the Estes Park Rooftop Rodeo. Halley participates in Young Chatauqua, rides for Berthoud Equestrians Interscholastic Equestrian Association team and shows her Thoroughbred “My King” in in numerous Colorado Hunter Jumper Association shows. A state grand champion hunt seat rider for three years, Halley is passionate about both horses and history! She will attend Midway University in 2021 where she will ride for their Varsity Hunt Seat Team and major in Equine Studies with concentrations in Equine Rehabilitation and Equine Management.
Click Below to Watch Their Winning Short Film!
Lindsey Larkin
Hello! My name is Lindsey Larkin. I am a life-long homeschooler and graduate of the Classical Conversations Challenge program (May 2021). I have a great love of history and the American Constitution and I hope to continue sharing the importance of the American founding with others.
I enjoy public speaking and have emceed at both state and national events. In 2019, I was selected to serve as a social media representative at the National 4-H Legacy Awards, where I interviewed nationally acclaimed 4-H alumnae. I have won 4-H state public speaking contests in extemporaneous speech, prepared speech, and radio speaking.
I have served as Maryland 4-H State Council President since 2020 and routinely lead statewide meetings, events, and community outreach activities involving youth, teens, and adults;
as well as, develop content for youth state leadership programs.
After applying, I was selected to participate in 4-H leadership trips across the nation. Most notably, I presented to the U.S. Department of Energy in D.C. at National 4-H Conference and had the distinguished honor to be selected and to serve on the Youth Leadership Design Team 2019 at National 4-H Congress. In 2021, I was fortunate enough to win the Voice of Democracy Contest at districts and placed 3rd in the state contest. Additionally, I currently intern at my local U.S. Congressional District Office.
As a Marylander, I love Old Bay, seafood, and entering craft projects in the state fair. In my opinion, out of all of the state flags, ours is #1!
I am so grateful to Constituting America for their efforts in promoting the U.S. Constitution and our American principles of freedom. Winning this contest has been a dream of mine and I am so excited to join Constituting America in their mission!
Watch Lindsey’s Winning Short Film below:
https://vimeo.com/521624003[/embed
Our Interview With Lindsey
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
Back in March during the early weeks of the pandemic, I listened to Constituting America’s Zoom program with my family and this was where I first heard about the contest from founder, Janine Turner and former We the Future contest winner, Tova Love Kaplan. Listening to them inspired me to learn more about it on the Constituting America website.
What inspired your work?
As Americans, we constantly hear about how horrible our country is. Whether it be from politicians, media outlets, or academia, it’s hard to have any kind of insight into how our freedoms compare to those of other nations. My goal for this video was to compare and contrast American freedoms to those of other countries.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned that while many countries might currently have human rights laws similar to those outlined in our American Constitution, they are not always set in stone, and they are subject to change. This is alarming to me as an American because throughout history we have seen countless dictators and corrupt officials take advantage of citizens for personal gain. If my freedoms were not specifically outlined in a permanent document, like our American Constitution, I would not feel secure as a citizen.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
This year I hope to be more vocal about my love for the U.S. Constitution and American history. Like so many others, I sometimes feel uncomfortable sharing strong opinions regarding my support for the U.S. Constitution because I don’t want to be ostracized in this politically polarized time. However, supporting the American Constitution should never be a politically charged issue because this document is the foundation of our nation. This year, I will continue to challenge myself to speak up and share the importance of the American Constitution with others.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Most of my friends really are not that interested. However, I do have a few friends who love history and see the value of the Constitution.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
Our American story is one of great struggle and exceptional triumph. America is not perfect, but despite this, we have risen up to fight against injustices and worked tirelessly to create solutions to global problems. This is what I love about our American story.
Our American founding is so special and unique. It amazes me how our Framers had such foresight into our nation’s future and how they sought to create and implement a government meant to serve every American, not just the elite.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I have always wanted to visit Mount Rushmore! I love learning about its history and about the people who built this great monument.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I am really inspired by Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus. They were a Jewish couple, who lived in Philadelphia. They lived during the rise of anti-Semitic persecution in Nazi Germany during the 1930s.
The Krauses stepped in to save fifty Jewish children by finding foster parents in America to take them in. The hope was that the children would be united with their parents once they were permitted to immigrate to America. Sadly, not every child got a happy reunion.
What’s so impactful about this story is that the Krauses took action when few would. They did not wait for someone else to step in and help. Instead, they themselves took the charge.
Who is your greatest role model?
I have always looked up to C.S. Lewis, but even more so now that I have spent time reading his work. He was an incredibly deep thinker and one of the greatest Christian apologists of his time. He had the rare ability to explain complex ideas in a way that just about anyone could understand. I would consider myself extraordinarily lucky if I am a fourth as eloquent as he was.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am really passionate about teaching myself new skills. It’s absolutely thrilling to see a challenge, face it head-on, and achieve great success. For instance, I had always wanted purple hair but didn’t want to spend hundreds at a salon to achieve the mermaid hair of my dreams. During the summer of 2020, I decided to do it myself and it was a success! Most recently, I fell in love with a $1000 prom dress and decided to recreate it on my own. I taught myself how to sew and created the prom dress of my dreams for a fraction of the cost. If I don’t know how to do something, I just give it some research and get to work.
How do you spend your free time?
I dedicate a lot of my time to the 4-H program where I serve as Maryland 4-H State Council President and routinely lead statewide meetings, events, and community outreach activities involving youth, teens, and adults. I also love to paint, craft, and create. My motto is, “You can never have too much sparkle!”
What are your plans for the future?
I am headed off to Hillsdale College in the fall of 2021 and am excited to pursue all of the great opportunities that the school has to offer. Following my undergrad, I hope to study law.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Over the course of my high school career, I have learned many things, but one of the most valuable lessons I learned was that there are two sides to every issue. I was taught this in a debate class where I was forced to research both sides of a topic regardless of whether I agreed with it or not. It was an eye-opening experience that continues to shape my perspective. If I had the power to do one thing, it would be to show people that there are more ways to look at an issue than meets the eye.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
I believe that the American Constitution is just as relevant today as it was over two centuries ago. Times may have changed, but human nature and the principles of government have not. When a small group of people hold enormous amounts of power over a large group of people, they will likely prioritize their selfish interests over the legitimate needs of the citizen. The American Constitution actively prevents “power hoarding” by spreading out government into three separate branches. Our Constitution may have been ratified way back in 1788, but it still rings true in the 21st-century.
Yashica Nabar
My name is Yashica Nabar, 16, and I’m in 11th grade attending the Law Academy at Creekview High School. I still have memories of when I was seven years old and would run around my house, creating small films to show my family and friends. Most kids my age enjoyed taking part in sports like basketball, soccer and track. However, I enjoyed finding little ways to spread a message to people around the world. I always found myself having a deep admiration for singing, dancing and public speaking as it gives you a platform to express every feeling that can possibly be expressed! I got my first emceeing gig when I was twelve years old. This experience unlocked an “ah hah” moment of excitement for using my words to make a positive impact on others. Twelve years old was also the age that I appeared on Chopped Junior, a cooking competition on Food Network Channel. The second that I walked into my first interview in front of the camera, I knew that this was the field that I wanted to go into. The ambience of preparing a television production from setting up the equipment to the hot coffee in the hands of the entire crew, the pure bliss that has to do with being behind and in front of the camera can’t be matched by any other type of excitement in the world. That’s why creating a short film for Constituting America’s “We The Future Contest” was an opportunity that I had to take!
In the future, I hope to go on to spread positive messages on television as a talk show host or as a political journalist. No matter what anyone desires to pursue in their future, Constituting America is the place to learn more about the opportunities, morals and values that our country holds, along with of course…The Constitution of America! Thank you Constituting America for allowing me and thousands of other kids an opportunity to get the platform to make positive change in our country and to make possible our dreams to pursue a higher education!
Watch Yashica’s Winning Short Film below:
Our Interview With Yashica
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
This was the first time that I have applied to this scholarship and I am completely grateful about my work being featured!
How did you hear about the contest?
My teacher who teaches a Political Science class in my school suggested that I apply for the scholarship. The scholarship was also listed on a scholarship sheet by @collegeproprep on instagram.
What inspired your work?
After hearing about my parents’ journey from Bombay, India to Dallas, Texas; I felt thankful that the United States provided opportunities for them to find happiness and achieve their wildest dreams. Because certain rights in the Constitution are guaranteed, America has worked to become a place of diversity and acceptance. This very idea inspired me to pay tribute to the amendments in the constitution that has made America the “power nation” of the world.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
While creating my short film, I learned to truly appreciate the stability that our country has guaranteed. Because we are guaranteed the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; the employees and employers of America can work together to enforce the “law of the land” to provide a safe and just environment for all.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
As I’m involved in my school’s law academy program, I intend to learn and educate others about the rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution through participation in mock trial and debate tournaments. Making sure that young Americans are aware of the rights we are guaranteed is a passion of mine that I will work to make a career out of.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
When learning about history or the U.S. Constitution, my friends mostly have a confounded interest in how each amendment is enforced and utilized throughout the justice system in America. They often post instagram stories relating to Constitutional amendments/rights in order to continue educating others about the use of each right.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I greatly enjoy learning about what occurred in the past to make the future so evolved! U.S. History has always been one of my favorite subjects in school as it has set a basis for how our country has reacted to major tragedies/triumphs.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit? I would love to visit the White House or Capitol Hill to observe exactly where our congressmen discuss ongoing laws that shape our day to day lives as Americans.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Barack Obama are my biggest inspirations in political history as they have paved the way for more constructive, open-minded thinking which is what our political system needed. Not only have they fought for the rights of minorities (racial and gender), but they have also used their platforms to advocate for the voiceless.
Who is your greatest role model?
One of my biggest role models is Anderson Cooper. He evaluates every politician and political issue in terms of the rights guaranteed in the Constitution and with pure logic. Rather than steering a certain way because his political party supports a certain topic, he addresses issues in a logical way that would benefit the good of America. He has also become one of the biggest political journalists in America, which inspires me to pursue the same career!
What in your life are you most passionate about?
In my life, I’m most passionate about immersing myself in creativity. Whether it’s creating short films, singing, dancing, playing an instrument or motivational speaking; I deeply enjoy finding new ways to inspire others and find peace within myself.
How do you spend your free time?
I often spend my free time going out with my friends and exploring the world. To immerse yourself in creativity, you have to seek adventure and constantly learn more about the world around you. Going hiking, exploring coffee shops and trying new cuisines often sparks an exciting thrill that stimulates my passion to quench my curiosity.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans for my future include pursuing political broadcasting or motivational speaking. I desire to give others confidence in themselves either if its by directly addressing their emotions or sharing stories of events happening around them that could inspire them to be better American citizens.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
If I could do one super impactful thing to help people, I would tell them that every struggle and obstacle that seems too hard to overcome, will soon become better. Living life simply helps one see it for its simplicity. This very concept will take people so far in such a fast-paced generation where we rely on our phones for happiness. Finally learning to drop the social media accounts and going out to explore nature will immensely help not only the country, but the world. I could then see us making wonderful innovations and treating each other with more love and acceptance than ever before.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is still relevant today as it secures our rights to voice our opinions and understand the judicial systems policies in case of an emergency.
Chibuzor Onveahialam
My name is Chibuzor Ernest Onyeahialam and I am a born citizen of the United States with parents that are originally from Nigeria. I go to school at the University of Houston and I am studying computer information systems. I have plans of gaining a career in the computer industry. I have an extreme love for dogs and I love to go to the gym. My thought process behind the PSA was to make a video that would be attention grabbing to people young and old. It took me 2 weeks to get the video to my liking and I am extremely excited that my hard work paid off.
Shaynlin Smith
Shaynlin is a 17-year-old senior from Drexel, Missouri. She is the founding chairman and current chairman of the Young Americans for Freedom Chapter at Drexel High School. Shayn is also the president of NHS, FBLA, FCCLA, and Student Council at Drexel High. Throughout high school, she was involved in football, basketball, basketball cheerleading, track and field, dance team, and scholar bowl. In her limited spare time, she enjoys volunteering at Restoration House of Greater Kansas City, attending leadership conferences, and spending time with her family. After she graduates, Shaynlin plans to attend Central Methodist University to Study Business Communications and Graphic Design. She is extremely honored to receive this award and grateful for the patriotism of Cass County, Missouri!
Watch Shaynlin’s Winning Short Film Below!
Our Interview With Shaynlin!
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes! This is the first time that I have entered any video contest.
How did you hear about the contest?
I was searching for scholarship opportunities when I stumbled across Constituting America’s website.
What inspired your work?
I was inspired by all of the patriotism that is represented in my community and school. This video gave me a really great opportunity to visit places in my area that I usually wouldn’t take much time to appreciate.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
While creating my entry, I came to the realization that we are constantly surrounded by signs of freedom and independence. We may not always see the beauty that surrounds us, because you have to be looking for it in order to truly admire it.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Through my leadership as the chairman of the Drexel Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), I am an advocate for the Constitution every single day at my school. This is something that may bother other people, but I am always willing to discuss my thoughts and the importance of the U.S. Constitution with those that agree or disagree with my views. YAF gives students the opportunity to meet a few times each year to talk about our rights and how to preserve them.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
I have many friends that enjoy learning and talking about American history and the Constitution, however, it is a goal of mine to get more students to understand how important knowledge of history and the Constitution is.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love everything about the founding of the United States! Every one of our founding fathers has such an incredible story. The most amazing thing about America’s founding is the fact that all odds were against the rebellion, and it is a miracle that freedom prevailed.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I would love to visit Mount Rushmore. I have never traveled to South Dakota before, and I think that it would be really cool to see the sculpture in person.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Sergeant William Harvey Carney is definitely the most inspirational historical figure that I have ever encountered. He served in the Civil War, fighting for his own freedom. He entered the line of fire to stop the American flag from touching the ground. Sergeant Carney survived several gunshot wounds, and became the first African American to receive a Medal of Honor.
Who is your greatest role model?
Ronald Reagan is a role model that has really impacted my life. I attended the 2021 Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home Inaugural Program in Dixon, Illinois, and I got the chance to explore the town that he grew up in. His character, leadership, and accomplishments have influenced my life immensely.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about making a difference for my country, and giving back to my community. I am involved in many organizations that prioritize community service, and I currently volunteer at Restoration House of Greater Kansas City. While I don’t know what life has in store for me, I am certain that I will find time for charitable acts.
How do you spend your free time?
During my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, volunteering, and attending leadership conferences.
What are your plans for the future?
I am planning to attend Central Methodist University to study Business Communications and Graphic Design. During my time in college, I will participate in many internships and job shadowing opportunities in order to find a job that I am passionate about and excel at.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
I would really like to do something to give back to veterans that have fought for our country. I have considered working for or starting my own nonprofit organization that would accomplish this goal. This really interests me, because many nonprofit organizations have really inspired me throughout my life.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is more relevant today than ever before, because we continue to inch further and further away from the liberty that the Constitution provides. The Constitution will be relevant as long as America exists, because it lays the foundation of the government and provides U.S. citizens with their freedoms and rights.
Adam Zheng
Adam Zheng is a 16-year old senior at Williamsville North High School, currently living in Western New York. His love for filmmaking began during the onset of the pandemic, and he has since spent hundreds of hours mastering its art. He enjoys creating films to educate, to raise awareness, and to document memories.
As an independent filmmaker, Adam’s work has earned him Best Young Live-Action Director in the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival, two category awards in the Golden Lion Awards High School Film Festival, Finalist in the New York Times Coming of Age in 2020 Contest, and more. Filmmaking and engineering are his two greatest passions, and although he is planning to pursue a career in engineering, creating films will always be an important part of his life.
Beyond filmmaking, Adam is also an avid runner, a violinist, an Eagle Scout, a Regional Champion in Science Olympiad, a National Merit Semifinalist, and an AP Scholar with Distinction. With his multitude of interests and abilities, he hopes that, no matter what he pursues, he will one day be able to make a positive impact on the world that will last to benefit generations upon generations into the future.
Watch Adam’s Winning PSA Below:
STEM Winners
Nathan Copeland
Nathan Copeland is a 14-year-old from San Antonio, Texas. He attends STEM Academy at Legacy of Educational Excellence (LEE) High School, where he enjoys entering STEM-related competitions, leading to him going to State Science Fair, placing 2nd overall in SA SMART City Challenge, and winning CivTech SA. He is also interested in the technological sector, as he enjoys creating websites, and is in Cyberpatriots and has presented coding in the Texas Capitol. In his community, he volunteers in places such as Miracle League, Camp CAMP, and his church, which has led to him earning the Presidential Service Award 4 years in a row. Nathan is constantly striving for new discoveries, from inventing new ideas on previous works to competing in various challenges. In his free time, he’s involved in Junior Varsity tennis, playing his violin in the LEE orchestra, and Academic UIL. Nathan aspires to become a businessman or lawyer after college to positively influence his community.
Click Here for Nathan’s winning STEM project – The Revolutionary Constitution Website!
Ella Dumas
My name is Ella Dumas. I am in the 6th grade at Grapevine Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas. I love music and play the piano for our school Chapel Band. I love trying new sports and playing all types of games. This past year at Faith, I was on the basketball team and swim team. My favorite sport is volleyball, and I have been playing competitive club volleyball for 4 years. I have also enjoyed STEM activities, and in 5th grade I competed with my middle school robotics club. My friends and I have enjoyed going to local escape rooms and I loved having to solve the problems and clues. Last year we did online escape rooms for class and it was always super fun and a great way to learn. For this project, I thought I could create something people could play that was fun and enjoyable that could help them learn. When making the Constitution Escape Room, I was able to learn about coding to make the game work as I wanted. I hope people enjoy playing the game and learning more about the Constitution!
Click here to visit Ella’s escape room!
Our Interview With Ella
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes.
How did you hear about the contest?
We entered in science class for a grade.
What inspired your work?
I wanted to make something no one has done before. And having ADD, I know it is hard to stay focused on something unless it is fun or interactive. I immediately knew I was going to work online so it came down to what am I going to do? At first, I wanted to try to make a VR like game but I didn’t have the resources to do it so I thought of the next best thing, an escape room. We did escape rooms last year for school all of the time and I really enjoyed it. I also had been doing a lot of real escape rooms. So, once I thought of that I stuck to it and it paid off!
What did you learn while creating your entry?
Technology is not as easy as it seems.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Right now, especially, our government is much more important than they and I myself would have realized. Think about it, if we didn’t have our constitution or people who stood up for us to be a democracy we could be in the same spot as the Russians, in communism. I think giving people the “what would’ve happened” point of view really helps them think about it.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
We have long conversations. At first, it’s confusing but then it gets more interesting the more you understand it.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
It is so interesting. It’s like what makes an interesting book, it’s hard to explain but it is like you want to keep reading.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I would want to see the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu because I love WW2. I love reading the books about it and talking about it and this site is what brought us into the war. I would LOVE to see it one day.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Martin Luther King Jr.
Who is your greatest role model?
My mom and dad.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
Sports and School.
How do you spend your free time?
Hanging out with my family/friends and playing volleyball.
What are your plans for the future?
To graduate school. Until then I will focus on the other things like volleyball and school and hanging out with my friends. YOLO so I’m going to live now and leave my future for then.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
If I could do one super impactful thing, I would cure cancer. There is a long story to that, but that is what I would do.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
It forms our basic rights as people to live by. Without them we could have little to no freedom and terrible lives.
Noe Flores
My name is Noe Flores. I am a 6th grade honors student and live in Fort Worth, Texas. I enjoy learning and reading and was the runner up for my school Spelling Bee in 3rd grade. I am currently in band and play percussion. My favorite subject in school is science because it’s interesting and at my STEM school we get hands-on learning. I like playing video games and hope to one day become an animator and create my own video game.
I am very excited and grateful to have been selected as one of the winners. Thank you for this amazing opportunity and the chance to visit Washington D.C. and meet my fellow Constituting America contest winners.
Click Here for Noe’s report on his STEM Project! Click Here to see the 20 surveys he created, distributed, collected and then tabulated from his peers!
Our Interview With Noe
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes, this was my first time entering the contest.
How did you hear about the contest?
My middle school counselor sent out an email with several scholarship opportunities and this one grabbed my attention.
What inspired your work?
Since I was learning about the Constitution in class, I figured it would be a good time to do the survey.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned that my classmates didn’t know too much about the Constitution.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Talk to my classmates about how important the U.S. Constitution is to us and why we need to be more aware of the benefits of learning our rights.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
They don’t really know much about the history of the Constitution or talk about it.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I get to learn how our government was formed and how we have evolved over the years as a country.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I would like to visit the White House and see where all the past Presidents lived.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Martin Luther King is most inspirational to me because he abolished racial discrimination and fought for civil rights.
Who is your greatest role model?
My mom and dad because they never give up.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about Jurassic World, Godzilla, and video games.
How do you spend your free time?
In my free time I like to play video games, read books and play with my dog Rex.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to become an animator for video games and film.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
I would make sure all those without a home or shelter get the help they need to survive and be successful in their lives.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
Because it created all of our laws and gave us the freedom we have today.
Nick Heiniger
Nicholas Heiniger was born and raised in Marietta, Georgia. Currently, he is attending the University of Georgia where he is majoring in international affairs. From a young age, he has shown interest in world languages and cultures by taking Spanish and Latin language classes in high school and studying Russian through the National Scholarship Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). He also enjoys learning about the law and government, and he has participated in the Atlanta Bar Association Summer Law Internship Program. He hopes to combine all of these interests in the future by working as a diplomat. In his free time, Nicholas likes to play table tennis and chess.
Click here to view Nick’s Winning STEM Project or scroll down to watch his video!
Our Interview With Nicholas
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes, and I am excited to enter it again next year!
How did you hear about the contest?
I heard about the contest from Fastweb Scholarships, a scholarship database that sends me emails about various scholarship and internship opportunities.
What inspired your work?
I was interested in exploring an unconventional or often less talked about amendment to the United States Constitution. Most Americans are already familiar and fond with most of the amendments in the Bill of Rights as well as other, later-added amendments granting greater equality and expanding the suffrage, such as the 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments. I thought it would be interesting to examine the effects of the 16th amendment, one which I had often taken for granted.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned about just how integral income tax was for governmental revenues in the modern-day as well as its increasing importance over time. From 2020, income tax accounted for over half of all governmental revenues. It is hard to imagine a past where there was no income tax at the federal level, but from 1776-1913, this was largely a reality.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I am planning to further my involvement within political organizations on campus as well as participate in voter-outreach and perhaps even work on a congressional campaign during the 2022 midterm cycle. An integral function of voter outreach is informing people of their Constitutional right to vote. The Founders of our country created a representative democracy so that Americans could make informed decisions and freely choose who they wanted to lead. Through informing Americans about issues related to their community and how candidates will address them, people often become more energized and incentivized not only to vote, but to volunteer, to protest, to petition for a new law to be passed, to work for a political campaign, or to even run for office themselves. Through the engagement of any and all of these activities, the founding father’s vision of an ideal representative democracy is further realized.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
My friends are also very enthusiastic about history and talking about the Constitution. I have a lot of friends who are studying international affairs as I am, and we recognize that it is essential to understand history to understand current relations among countries. Additionally, turning our focus to the governmental institutions of other countries in the world can often expand our own knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution through comparison. It is very fortunate that we are able to live in a society that gives importance to ideas such as freedom of speech, due process, and equal treatment under the law.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
Over this past Spring Break, I had the amazing opportunity of visiting Jamestown, Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg. There, I was able to see in-person many of the monumental sites to the founding of our country, explore revolutionary battle-grounds, tour informative historical museums, and learn more about both common and famous people from the time through re-enactments. I especially loved to see how the philosophical ideas from the Enlightenment such as from Locke, Montesquieu, and Voltaire became actualized in the founding documents of our nation such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
One U.S. historical site I would like to visit would be Ford Theater. It was the site of the assassination of President Lincoln in April 14, 1865. Currently, it is both an operating theater house as well as a museum showcasing many historical artifacts relating to Lincoln’s presidency. Abraham Lincoln was one of the most influential figures in American history, and it is always intriguing for me to learn more information about him. Although it is macabre, I think the story behind Lincoln’s assassination is very interesting, and it was an event that changed the course of U.S. history.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Martin Luther King Jr. is most inspirational to me because of his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. He advanced Civil Rights through non-violence and civil disobedience and was able to create the momentum and support needed for the passage of several monumental pieces of legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
Who is your greatest role model?
My greatest role model would probably be my mom or my dad. I am very glad to have been raised by such loving and caring parents, and they mean the world to me.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about learning languages. To me, a new language is a new door opened. Through learning a new language, I can not only communicate with people who may have distinctively different lifestyles and perspectives than my own, but can learn more about their culture, their belief systems, and what makes them unique.
How do you spend your free time?
In my free time I like to play table tennis, play chess, try new restaurants and eat new foods, learn about new topics, tune into the news, and go to the gym to exercise.
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I would like to go to law school. After completing my legal education, I would like to work as a lawyer specializing in criminal law and provide pro-bono legal services for the indigent accused. Eventually, I would also like to work as a foreign service officer as a political officer to interact with foreign governments on policy issues and negotiate policy.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
I think what most people desire out of life is happiness. What that means to me is growing up and living in a safe, respectful, and ethical community where peoples’ common needs are met and they have the freedom to live whatever life they please and explore whatever opportunity they want to without unreasonable restriction. As long as someone is not harming another, they should be able to pursue their aspirations in life. Anything that would get us closer to this ideal, anything that safeguards civil liberties, civil rights, and human well-being, would be my choice of action. For example, forming a stronger education system, developing and investing in infrastructure, and expanding access to healthcare are all things that I would strive to do to help people.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
Although the Constitution is over two-hundred years old, it is still as relevant today as it was at our country’s founding. The Constitution both ensures that power is balanced between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government and enshrines to the American people a Bill of Rights to prevent a tyrannical concentration of power. In many places throughout the world, freedom of speech is a concept granted only to supporters of the prevailing government regime, due process is a promise tarnished by bribery and corruption, and governmental power is legitimized not through the consent of the governed, but by the terrorization of the governed.
Aubrey Jackman
Aubrey Jackman was born and raised in Tooele, Utah. Growing up, she loved being the middle of seven children in her family. After High School, Aubrey served an 18-month volunteer mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Seattle, Washington area. Aubrey enjoys spending her free time playing sports, such as basketball and tennis. She is an avid sports fan and aspires to be an athletic coach in the future. She now attends Brigham Young University with her husband, Makay. Aubrey is a Junior, majoring in Family Studies but has always enjoyed exploring technology and finding new ways to create.
Aubrey describes her STEM Project:
To summarize my STEM project, I realized that a lot of people do not know simple facts about the United States Constitution. I created an online website, quiz, and study help to aid those interested in becoming more familiar with the Constitution. I wanted to design a website that would catch the attention of my peers in order to increase their excitement about this vital document. I wanted to promote the Constitution in a way that would inspire this website and survey’s visitors to gain more understanding of the importance of this lasting document. This is the link to the website: https://knowtheconstitutio.wixsite.com/learn.
Included on the website is a quiz I created. I chose some questions that most people do not generally know, in an effort to help them realize they need to know more! This quiz also contains simple facts that each of us should know and understand. It is important to understand how our rights are protected and how our government is run. We are blessed to have this organized document that fulfills that need. A direct link to the survey I created is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FVTXY9Z.
To make learning convenient, on the website I created an option to click on a button labeled “study here” which directly sends the user to a “Quizlet” page. Here, I created digital flash cards with simple facts about the United States Constitution and its amendments. This gives the user several choices and styles of learning to best fit their personal learning needs. This is the direct link to that Quizlet study guide and flashcards: https://quizlet.com/1343560/27-amendments-best-definitions-flash-cards/.
Toward the bottom of the website, I created a timeline visual aid of the dates that each amendment was added to the Constitution. This helped me better understand how the Constitution is a living document and I hope this timeline will teach others the same truth. I also included another option to learn more by clicking a direct link to constitutingamerica.org where I myself have found new and interesting information about the United States Constitution.
Results of the survey from 65 participants can be found at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/stories/SM-52BSLQDY/.
Our Interview With Aubrey
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
No, I actually entered last year as well but didn’t win and decided to try again this year.
How did you hear about the contest?
Jacob and Emily VanDerwerken
What inspired your work?
I wanted to design a way for people to recognize how much they actually knew about the U.S. Constitution, so I designed a survey with simple questions about its details. I didn’t want them to be left with a low score on the survey and no way to increase their knowledge, so I connected it on a website with more information about the Constitution and a link to a website full of flashcards with additional facts and information to study.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
When I was creating my entry, I wanted to keep it as simple as possible in order to attract more of an audience. I realized that there is so much to the Constitution and so many pieces I could focus on and go into a lot of depth with. There is always more I can learn about the Constitution, which was another thing I realized while creating my entry.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I plan to spread the word to my peers about the importance of the U.S. Constitution by inviting them to tune into our weekly podcasts with guests discussing the Constitution. Constituting America has other great opportunities to learn more whether through their book club and their contest! I have been sharing details about the contest with family and peers because that is another great way to learn more.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
I have a lot of friends who really enjoy their history classes and learning more about U.S. history specifically. However, when I had them fill out the survey I created, I realize that some of them don’t know simple details about the Constitution itself. They responded by letting me know they realized they need to learn more about this important document and that they didn’t know as much as they thought they did. I was excited that the simple survey gave them the nudge to realize they needed to do more to educate themselves.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love that our Founding Fathers weren’t afraid to do something different. They worked as a team to form a system that would support and promote freedom of individuals. I love learning about each person in history and their individual impact on our country and how it has formed to the country we have today.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Pearl Harbor is on my bucket list of historical sites to visit. I think this was not only an impactful place for our country, but something that impacted the rest of the world. The country united at this point in time, like they had before. I think that it would be an inspiring place full of respect and reverence. I am also really excited to visit Washington D.C. and hopefully see the historical sites there, including the Capitol, White House, the Smithsonian, and other sites.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Benjamin Franklin inspires me to think outside the box. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, even when it wasn’t the most popular opinion. He was a very bright man who put his talent and understanding to a useful purpose in bettering his community and future of his country.
Who is your greatest role model?
My greatest role model is my mom. With my dad, she raised seven children and that was her full-time job! I can’t imagine it being very easy and she sacrificed a lot to do it. We didn’t always appreciate all she did for us while growing up, but she continued to love and give anyway. I look at her example of selflessness and generosity and it inspires me to be better to everyone around me. Even when credit wasn’t given where it was due, she didn’t give up. She continues to sacrifice, serve, and love when no one is watching and sometimes even recognizing her actions. I know that life is like this sometimes and that we just have to keep pushing forward and trust that we are doing the best we can. I watch as she does all she can to keep her family close and united. She is a leader, a fighter, a caring and compassionate woman that I aspire to be like one day.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I would say I am most passionate about my family, school, and sports. I love to spend time with my family, whether we are singing, playing games, or just sitting around talking with each other. I have always loved school and improving myself by gaining more education. I’m passionate about always doing my best and giving my full effort to really learn and understand the material I am taught. Lastly, I love sports! I played basketball all growing up and still love to play any time I can! I’m passionate about showing the guys that girls can play well too!
How do you spend your free time?
In my free time, I love to be outside! I enjoy going camping and hiking up in the beautiful mountains. I really enjoy exercising in any form such as swimming, tennis, pickleball, basketball, running, and more! I love spending time with family and friends whether we are singing, playing games, eating, or just sitting around and talking. I also enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes that are healthy and tasty!
What are your plans for the future?
My husband and I currently attend Brigham Young University and will graduate in April 2022. After that, I can pursue more education in order to become a social worker. Before I do that, I am excited to become a mom and raise a family with my husband. We both grew up in Utah but would love to venture out and move to a different state to raise our kids.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Something my parents have been saying lately is to “judge less and love more.” If I could do something impactful to help people, it would be to spread this concept! I think that our country and our world could use a whole lot less judgement and more love. Accepting differences of any kind and coming together in love of our country and our freedom would be breathtaking. It starts with one and then grows to more through example and encouragement. We can love by supporting others in their accomplishments, whether small or big. We can love by not jumping to conclusions. We can love by forgiving and allowing others to change for the better. These opportunities to influence and love others are endless.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution influences every part of each day. From the smallest decisions to the largest, the Constitution protects my freedom and agency. I can choose my own career path, I can choose where to live, I can choose what to believe, I can choose what to say. America wouldn’t be the country it is without the United States Constitution.
Melanie McNair
My name is Melanie and I’m in the 8th grade. I enjoy creative STEM projects, coding and watching movies.
I am the student council Vice-President at my school. In 2018 and 2019, I won grants from the City of Las Vegas Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program (YNAPP) which rewards grants to youth who want to make positive changes in their neighborhoods. I completed projects to help youth with special needs in my community. In 2020, I was selected and honored to serve as a Youth member of the board for YNAPP.
I currently hold a 4.0 GPA in Advanced and Leadership classes at my school and was named student of the month for September.
Read About Melanie’s Winning Stem Project In Her Own Words!
I am so excited to share with you my United States Constitution Middle School STEM Project! I am a “STEM Girl” who enjoys building websites and robots! I’m currently in Robotics in school and will take Advanced STEM next semester. That’s why I knew I had to do the STEM Project to talk about our country’s beautiful constitution.
Here is my website! https://scholarship12345.wixsite.com/usconstitution
Here are the results of the Quiz and Survey!
Quiz Results: https://tinyurl.com/y4s5rar3
Survey Results: https://tinyurl.com/yy2g4jhd
On my website, you will see beautiful colorful backgrounds, videos, quotes, photos, a quiz, and a survey. I had so much fun finding everything and adding them to my site. I chose the backgrounds of red, white, and blue because they represent our flag which stands for freedom. The quote from Abraham Lincoln is so inspirational to me because he knew, even back then, the importance of the constitution.
Please make sure to click under the “Click Here to Learn More” buttons because I have a video. These videos of previous Presidents like Ronald Reagan, I believe, are important to our country’s history of freedom. The video of Abraham Lincoln is my favorite because it comes from Disneyland’s “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” presentation. Every time my family visits Disneyland, we would watch the presentation and talk about how we are so proud to be American.
Thank you for holding the workshop! I live in Las Vegas so I was in school for part of it but what I was able to go to, gave me more information about the importance of Freedom of Speech. I learned it is very important to hold up the Constitution, even if it is different than what the media is saying. Also, I learned how the United States Constitution plays a huge role in our civil liberties as American citizens.
What I enjoyed most about making this website was having a quiz and survey for anyone to take! I found out wonderful information about what people think and how much people currently know about our American Constitution.
I plan to implement this information in my everyday life by being proud to be an American and make others aware that the American Constitution stands for freedom.
Thank you for the opportunity to make this website and share it with you and a whole lot of people across the United States.
Our Interview With Melanie!
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes, this is the first time I have entered this contest.
How did you hear about the contest?
I heard about it online.
What inspired your work?
The Disneyland ride/show “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” because of the technology in the show and the incorporation of America’s freedoms.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned interesting facts about the Constitution that I didn’t even realize before doing this project. I also learned how to format a website better. Also, the importance of “creative commons” videos that you can use to not have copyright issues.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I will talk to others in my classes about the Constitution and how it is important for everyone.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
We all believe it’s important to the United States and Our freedoms.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love U.S. History because it reminds me of our past and how we became who we are today. History is being made everyday and we are able to vote on candidates that form our government.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Lincoln Memorial or Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
George Washington, because he helped found the country we live in today.
Who is your greatest role model?
My local city Councilwoman Michele Fiore because she is kind and helped me put in the first wheelchair swing in a public park in the City of Las Vegas.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I have a passion for learning new ideas or information every week. For example, in STEM we attempt various ways to solve a problem which makes me learn new information all the time.
How do you spend your free time?
During my free time, I enjoy watching interesting shows/movies, talking to my friends, and trying new travel/food experiences.
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I plan to go to college and major in the medical field. I am considering becoming a doctor or biomedical engineer.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Create a medical device that would help people with thyroid issues or cancer.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The constitution is relevant today because it provides us with freedoms like speech and voting rights.
Maya Robinson
Maya Robinson is a senior at Gann Academy in Waltham, Massachusetts. She loves exploring interesting mathematical concepts and is developing a budding interest in coding. She has attended the Ross Mathematics Program and PROMYS over the past two summers, and she is hoping to continue deepening her understanding and appreciation of number theory this summer. Besides math, Maya enjoys being involved in theatre at Gann, whether it be acting in productions, being a House Manager, attending drama club meetings, or taking theatre classes. Every week, she looks forward to leading toddler services at her synagogue, where she feels a personal connection to the children and parents who come to pray.
This semester, Maya is taking a class on the Supreme Court, where her research for the We the Future Contest has helped her greatly. Her interest in U.S. history is relatively new, but it is growing quickly, and she cannot wait to see where this opportunity will take her!
Maya Describes Her Winning STEM Project:
“What does an average high schooler know about the US Constitution? In order to start to answer that question, I coded an online quiz (https://mayarobinson613.wixsite.com/constitution/quizzes; click on “General Constitution Quiz”) about the Constitution which I shared with peers.
It turns out that coding a quiz was not quite as straightforward as I imagined that it would be. Though such quizzes may look simple on their surface, even getting my code to open a graphical window with a title and a clickable button was a huge achievement at first. I spent hours fixing problems like making a window disappear when the test-taker is done with a question so the next can pop up; disabling buttons after the user responds so that it is impossible to double-click an answer and get twice the points; and emailing results to my email inbox so that I could track scores and specific answers.
Achieving these goals required me to substantially deepen my knowledge of the computer language Python, including object-oriented programming and graphical user interface programming, as well as to find and utilize helpful code modules in books and online to solve specific problems.
When the general quiz was finished (copy of questions and answers attached; quiz code available on request), I sent it out to peers to collect data.”
Click here to read more about Maya’s winning STEM project, including tables that show data for 15 test-takers, of which 14 go to her high school.
Maya Also Created A Website:
“Of course, quizzes test knowledge, and I wanted to teach as well. So, I also created a larger educational website composed of original explanations that I wrote, along with links to pre-existing informative resources. In doing so, I strengthened both my knowledge of and appreciation for the US Constitution and its history.
Click here to explore Maya’s winning STEM Project website
Click here for answers to Maya’s Quiz Questions!
Our Interview With Maya
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes it was!
How did you hear about the contest?
I found it on a scholarship database with just barely enough time to complete a project of this scale before the deadline. After reading the description, though, I knew it would be well worth my time to apply.
What inspired your work?
I am in my school’s chapter of Girls Who Code, and we created a personality quiz last school year. When I saw this scholarship’s technology category, I felt it would be an exciting chance for me to do a similar project from an entirely different angle – using a different coding language, working with very different subject matter, and building an educational website around my coding project.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned more deeply about the Constitution in order to create the quizzes, landing page, and resources page on my website, gained a deeper appreciation of the history behind it, and greatly improved my Python skills. I also found out that Thomas Jefferson did not sign the Constitution, which had previously escaped my notice.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I have shared my project with many of my friends and classmates in order to both gather information about the pre-existing knowledge level of a typical student at my high school and help them fill in the gaps in their knowledge. In the future, I believe that my project is still a wonderful way to begin conversations about the Constitution outside of class.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
I have been fortunate to have thoughtful friends who, regardless of their knowledge level, have been enthusiastic about discussing any of my interests. Some of my friends respond to my request to talk about the Constitution with a great deal of information and the desire to have a deep and nuanced conversation, while others are open to learning more about this important topic. I have yet to encounter a friend who has been unwilling to discuss this part of American history with me.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love the fact that our government is built to shift over time. We do not have kings, we have three branches of government, each of which has a duty to keep the others in check; Presidents have term limits; and the Constitution can be amended. With adequate power behind a cause, major changes can take place.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Of the historical sites that I have already visited, I would most like to revisit the Freedom Trail. I live in the Boston area and visited the Freedom Trail a few times as a small child, and would love to go back both for the nostalgia and to deepen my knowledge of my home city’s history.
Out of the U.S. historical sites that I have not yet had the chance to visit, I would particularly like to visit Mount Vernon. I have learned about George Washington since elementary school as America’s legendary first President, and more recently as a nuanced person who was exceptionally important in the foundation of our country, demonstrated wonderful leadership, and still had important flaws. I believe that in seeing his home – and plantation – I would have the chance to reflect on such a deeply influential President and increase my knowledge on both George Washington and the history of the United States.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I think there are so many good answers to this question, but one that feels particularly inspirational is Harriet Tubman. Through her bravery and resourcefulness, she rescued dozens of enslaved people using the Underground Railroad: a connected group of activists and safe houses who helped enslaved people move to states where slavery was illegal.
As a Jew, I find deep meaning in Tubman’s actions. My grandmother’s family, and many others like it, only survived by escaping Nazi-controlled Poland with the help of a network of activists. When others are struggling, Jewish tradition dictates that my people have struggled, so I am obligated to help those around me who are struggling, in ways as large as what Harriet Tubman did, or as small as checking in on the people I care about.
Who is your greatest role model?
While I feel that it would be impossible to pick just one person who is the greatest of all my role models, I am particularly inspired by 19th century mathematician Sofya Kovalevskaya. At a time when women were not welcome in many parts of academia, she broke through barriers and learned an incredible amount, proving to her mentor that the reason he did not see more women in math stemmed from prejudice. Her story, and many like it, inspire me to openly live my truth as a woman who wants to learn and likely pursue STEM. In telling these stories, pursuing STEM myself, and creating an environment where other girls feel comfortable learning whatever they want, I feel I am doing my part to create a world where girls and women do not feel that their gender will prevent them from pursuing their dream career.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
This ties in to my previous answer – I am most passionate about education. Many students feel discouraged for learning certain subjects, especially math, because of teaching styles that feel inaccessible to them. I love showing these students a new way to view math as a subject that is creative and interesting and, most importantly, intuitively understandable with the right approach. When I help one of my peers begin to feel empowered to succeed in classes and experience less anxiety about previously difficult topics, I feel that I have succeeded in an important way.
How do you spend your free time?
I love spending time with friends, baking, and working on interesting math problems when I have free time.
What are your plans for the future?
My career plans are definitely not set in stone, but I am planning on attending Harvard College for the next four years, and I cannot wait to see what opportunities are in store. If I absolutely had to guess, I would say I am likely to major in math or physics and continue in academia.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
In Jewish tradition, every individual person is metaphorically viewed as their own universe. I have grown up with the wisdom that if I save one person, it is as if I saved an entire universe. As such, I have the power to shift entire universes through my actions. I believe that an action that looks small from an outside perspective can make a massive difference. When I teach those around me, I impact their universes, and I feel great power in the act of showing my peers a new way to view the subject they are learning, and ultimately the world around them.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is the document that lays out the blueprint for our entire system of government. I believe that everybody should have at least a baseline understanding of their government in order to be an informed citizen. Having just taken a class on the Supreme Court, I especially think of incredibly influential Supreme Court cases that require an understanding of the Constitution, and what is constitutional, in order to grasp.
Emily Tan
My name is Emily Tan – I am a 7th grader at South Forsyth Middle School in Cumming, GA. Social Studies and History has always interested me, and this STEM project was a new experience, as this was the first complete website I have created. Soon after, I started creating more websites on different topics. Currently, I am part of my school’s FBLA and HOSA, which are two major clubs in South Forsyth Middle. I am also part of my school’s Symphonic Band as a clarinet player and recently participated in GMEA All-State Middle School Band. Outside of school band, I play piano, enjoy drawing and play tennis as side activities. I have participated in the school Creative Writing Workshop and VEX Robotics. This STEM project combined several of my passions and makes for an interesting contest to compete in! I am truly grateful for everyone who supported me, allowing me to be able to get this far. This accomplishment enhanced my attentivity and love for Social Studies and History and I am excited to see what else is in store!
Click Here To Explore Emily’s Winning STEM Project!
Essay & Speech
Margaret Alvine
Margaret Alvine is a 19-year-old Freshman at John Paul the Great Catholic University in San Diego, majoring in Communications Media with an emphasis in Graphic Design.
A proud alum of the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association, Margaret enjoys public speaking and performing. Last year, her speech Historical Amnesia, on the importance of learning from history, placed 9th in the NCFCA Region II Championships.
The French Revolution and its similarities and differences from the American Revolution have always interested her, and the First Amendment Rights gave her an interesting way to explore why these two supposedly similar revolutions had such different outcomes. In her senior year of high school, her essay on Religious Freedom won Constituting America’s high school essay contest. She is so excited to have won again and have more opportunities to work with Constituting America.
In her spare time, Margaret writes apologetics pieces (explanations of Catholic beliefs) for the Marian Ministry at JPCatholic, and is involved with Swing Dance Club, Photography Club, Improv Team, and Sketch Comedy Club. She enjoys singing, dancing, and discussing books, life, and work with friends.
Watch Margaret’s Winning Speech Below:
Carson Collins
Carson is a 15-year-old homeschooled freshman from Austin, Texas. He is a nationally competitive rower, racing in regattas across the country. As well as being a successful rower, he is also an assistant coach teaching introductory courses for teens and adults. When he is not studying, Carson enjoys reading, writing, and documentary filmmaking. Last year, he won the middle school division of C-SPAN’s national StudentCam documentary competition. Carson is also the leader for his Youth Bible Study at the church he attends, Austin Ridge. In his free time, Carson enjoys volunteering at the Central Texas Food Bank, amassing over 500 hours of time there over the last 4 years.
Watch Carson’s Winning Essay On Film
Isabel Crews
Hello, my name is Isabel Crews. I am thirteen years old, but I am about to turn fourteen. Last year, I was the winner of Constituting America’s essay contest in the Middle School age division. I am currently pursuing my passions of acting, singing, reading, writing, and running. Recently, my eight year old brother and I starred in a play called The Boxcar Children at a small theater local to where we live. I love to sing, and there is never a time when I am not working on yet another book. I have continued to enter essay contests, such as the most recent VFW Patriot’s Pen essay contest, which I won locally, won in the District division, and got fourth place in the State division. I have continued to run both cross-country and track, and I am looking forward to track season with school and summer track season with Blue Thunder Track Club. Thank you for the opportunities that are ahead of me for winning the Constituting America PSA contest. I am so excited for the trip and all that it will hold.
Watch Isabel’s Winning PSA below or click here
Our Interview With Isabel
1. Was this the first time you entered the contest?
No, I have entered the contest before. I entered last year in the Middle School Essay division of the contest, and I won.
2. How did you hear about the contest?
Last year was the first time I have entered the contest. I had entered several other competitions with my essays and had done very well. I was searching for other essay contests online, and I came across Constituting America’s contest. I entered my essay last year, and I won. I remembered Constituting America’s contest and entered again this year with my winning work, my 30-second public service announcement.
3. What inspired your work?
Learning more about the Constitution while putting together the challenge of the contest is what inspired me.
4. What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned how to make a video out of still shots.
5. How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I have shared my video with some of my family and friends.
6. How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
When we talk about history in class, my friends like to listen to the Constitution in song form and try to memorize it.
7. What do you love about U.S History and the forming of our government?
Although the making of our country was tough, our founding fathers and other early Americans persevered.
8. Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
The U.S. historical site I would like to visit is the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, PA.
9. Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Alexander Hamilton set up the National Federal Bank. He was the secretary of the treasury and strived daily to make our country better. He was very ambitious.
10. Who is your greatest role model?
God is my greatest role model along with my hard working mom and dad.
11. What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about keeping God in my life no matter what.
12. How do you spend your free time?
In my free time, I like to read and go outside to ride my bike and exercise. I also like to write, craft, and travel.
13. What are your plans for the future?
My future plans after high school is to attend an engineer school in Rolla, MO to become a computer engineer along with another engineer degree.
14. If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
If I could sew clothes for people who do not have many, I would do that as a ministry in someone else’s life.
15. How is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is relevant today because it protects our freedom and without our freedom we would be oppressed. We would be living our lives based off of someone else’s choices.
Simran Gupta
My name is Simran and I am an 8th grade student at Lakeside Middle. I enjoy reading, running, baking and playing clarinet not necessarily in that order.
Some of my accomplishments are receiving STEM award in Vex Robotics Competition in 5th grade, making to County Honor Band in the 6th grade and the District Honor Band in 8th grade. I have participated in essay contests before and won third place for “Enlighten America Contest” by B’nai B’rith International. Other contests include Young Georgia Authors where I was the winning entry for Lakeside in 7th grade and another entry was for Veteran of Foreign Wars.
Not only have I entered essay contests I also participate in math competitions including MathCounts, AMC 8 and AMC 10.
I had an amazing time writing for the Constituting America contest and am looking forward to the trip to Washington DC, meeting mentors and doors of opportunity it would open up for me.
Click here to read Simran’s Winning Essay!
Jacob Mott
Jacob L. Mott is an 18 year old from Chester, New York, who attends Chester Academy as a senior. He’s interned for NY State Senator James Skoufis, Defense Attorney Benjamin Ostrer, and the Orange County (NY) Sheriff’s Office. He also founded a youth environmental organization called The GreenTeenMovement, was chosen to go to Boys State (NY), was briefly a journalist for his town’s local paper, and was recently a member on his town’s Police Reform Bill Committee. His involvement within school include Youth in Government, Mock Trial, and Key Club. He’s currently the head organizer of the 2021 “World Children’s Day Fundraiser Festival”, set to be held in Orange County, New York.
Jacob wishes to pursue a life in humanitarian work and public service, seeking to participate in AmeriCorps, join the Peace Corps after college, work with and/or the United Nations, and run for public office within the United States. Jacob also enjoys reading, podcasts, documentaries, travel, volunteering for places such as his local food bank, participating in community service projects, hosting and attending get-togethers with friends, spending time with family, hiking, campfires, spiritual activity, fireworks, and sharing a smile.
Watch Jacob’s winning essay here:
Our Interview With Jacob
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
Scholarships.com
What inspired your work?
What I know, and what I do not know; what I’ve experienced, and what I’ve been ignorant to; history, and progress; nature and the cosmos, with all the beauty and chaos which lay embedded within; and those who I love, as well as those who’ve been left behind.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
That after around 50 takes, I begin to become just a tad flustered…
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
By self education, spreading its ideals through mind, word, and body, as well by achieving a higher level of humanity, so a deeper meaning is retained.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
We respond at times with insightful thought and research, veracity, companionship and fellowship, and vision, while at other times we respond with visceral boost, passionate emphasis , and driven compassion; these attitudes and motives are nonetheless inseparable.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
History provides for a gateway – albeit at times a distorted one – into the realm of the past, and thus, human civilization and nature in all her glory and turmoil. By becoming better versed in this vast, bountiful, and complicated, field (if they so desire) can better understand what has and hasn’t worked before under particular circumstances, as well to become better equipped to give into self-surrender to the service of all which is worthy (again, if so desired).
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Most of Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Mount Rushmore, (and although they may not technically be perceived as “U.S. historical site”), the Puebloan cliff dwellings, and national parks.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I try to stay away from this question as well as the one immediately following, as I believe that for me, the danger of narrowing my accessibility to new ideas, people, and the like would prove detrimental to my personal duties.
Who is your greatest role model?
See above.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
My life’s mission, implied before, is self-surrender to what I see as right; that is, to human rights, democracy, a healthy planet (seeing as how we only have one), international cooperation, and economic prosperity.
How do you spend your free time?
Reading, podcasts, documentaries, travel, volunteer work, participating in community service projects, hosting and attending get-togethers with friends, spending time with family, hiking, campfires, spiritual activity, fireworks, and sharing a smile. Observing the wonderful quagmire which is life, it seems best to try and live three in one while time still allows.
What are your plans for the future?
-There is currently a date set to move on with the “World Children’s Day Fundraiser Festival” (which was postponed because of COVID-19) in which we will be holding an event at a local venue with live music, food trucks, contests, and other general activities in order to raise money which will to donated to UNICEF and Food Bank of the Hudson Valley 50/50.
-I’ll be spending roughly a month this summer with The Christian Appalachian Project in Kentucky in order to provide humanitarian services
Then I’ll be heading off to college to receive a degree (hopefully in three years instead of four) .
-From that point on it will be a mix of public service, elected office, and work with international organizations and NGOs.
-If everything up to this point has not been spoiled by unforeseen interruptions, I would like to own a ranch, travel, and continue to spread the aforementioned beliefs before my time is spent.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
By giving my entire life towards the causes mentioned before, only relinquishing if fate deems it a necessity.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
While this has been covered much better by people much smarter and better suited than I, a brief statement which I feel qualified to provide is this: The Constitution has survived for over 240 years, and has allowed for our country and all whom reside within it to march on towards something greater (notice how that “greater” may mean different things to different people). To put it bluntly, it’s one of the (if not the best) governmental tools within our civic arsenal. How we use it from this point onwards, is up to us.
Samir Patel
Samir is currently an MBA student at Emory University in Atlanta. He’s an Army veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as a cavalry officer; he still serves in the Army Reserves. He has a strong interest in entrepreneurship and real estate. He graduated from West Point with a degree in Economics and Arabic language.
Click here or below to watch Samir’s winning speech!
Our Interview With Samir
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
By searching the web for scholarships.
What inspired your work?
As a military officer, I swore an oath to the Constitution and have pledged my life to it. Why wouldn’t I want to write about it and what it means to me?
What did you learn while creating your entry?
How incredibly genius the document really is. It’s not overly prescriptive which, in my opinion, has led it to be an enduring document through the past two centuries.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I plan on making more speeches and writing essays as well posting on my own social media on how the US Constitution is important.
Winning this scholarship has boosted my confidence in my writing and ability to communicate. I never really did much writing before; putting together my speech was unexpectedly very empowering.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Most roll their eyes but I still talk about it anyway. After a few minutes however, I think a few people actually start to understand how important the document is and why we should use it as guiding principles of how we govern ourselves.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love that brave men had the courage to stand up to tyranny when the odds were not in their favor. I’ve learned that when something is important enough, like freedom, you pursue it even if the odds are not in your favor.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I want to visit Benjamin’s Franklin’s printing shop. For me, the birthplace of America started here. Franklin, in my view is the First American (as one of his biographer’s titled him).
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Benjamin Franklin
Who is your greatest role model?
Benjamin Franklin
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I’m passionate about economic empowerment. I teach part-time at a local university and nothing gives me more joy than to teach students how to be independent and how our economic system is really the best medium for pursuing freedom.
How do you spend your free time?
Reading science fiction and playing sports. I’m in the middle of preparing to climb a few very tall mountains.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to achieve a degree of business success before pursuing elected office.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
It would be that all Americans have a personal responsibility to our Country. I think that gets lost on people now that we have achieved incredible heights in human comfort and prosperity. I get the impression that a lot of Americans think this is a given not something that has to be protected everyday.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is our guiding document for governance. It has a direct impact, especially today, on how we resolve arguments and how we as a Country can move forward. Sure, the bureaucracy of government exists but without the Constitution, I think it could be so much worse. The concept of checks and balances and a government not promoting religion are two hallmarks of our society which has and will continue to serve us well.
Magda Smith
Magda Smith is a sophomore at Cornell University. She is interested in creating positive change through policy and promoting nuance, empathy, and open-mindedness in political discussions. In her free time, she loves to read and go on walks. Magda’s essays, songs, and poems have won several national and international awards including a Merit Award from the National YoungArts Foundation and a Gold Medal, a Silver Medal, and 28 more honors from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Over the summer and autumn of 2020, she worked as a researcher with the Global Student Policy Alliance to create a database of every country in the world’s climate policies.
Click Here or below To Watch Magda Smith’s Winning Speech!
Our Interview With Magda
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
I was looking through a list of student contests the day of the deadline and happened to stumble across this one, and the question aligned perfectly with my interests.
What inspired your work?
I’ve been concerned about political polarization for several years. The people I know andcare about seem to be growing steadily more and more convinced that the other side istheir enemy, wants them literally dead, and is sharpening its knives to come and destroy everything they care about. Not only is this a tad overdramatic, it could hardly be farther from reality—I know I’m only a naively optimistic teenager with a lifetime to “see the truth,” but the more people I talk to on different sides of the political aisle, the more convinced I am that most Americans share common hopes, common fears, and common values. We all want to do what’s right. We all want to see our loved ones healthy and happy. We all want to be proud of the world we leave behind for our children. Why should we let ourselves forget this merely because we have different visions of how to get there?
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I suppose I learned that applying the day of the deadline sometimes works out in the
end. 🙂
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I’m always interested in talking to people about their political views and the arguments, dreams, goals, and values that undergird them. Regarding the Constitution, I’d like to suggest to everyone that they form their opinion about it through careful, nuanced
analysis. I’d like to challenge both the people who dismiss the Constitution as yet another symbol of oppressive government and the people who revere it as though it is sacred- as though it is evidence that other types of government are uniformly evil.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
My friends love talking about history and I love discussing it with them. Two of my best friends want to run for office in opposing political parties, so it’s endlessly fascinating to me to talk with them about their opinions on contemporary political issues and how history shapes their perspectives. Both of my friends draw many of their political beliefs from respect for the Constitution, which makes it all the more interesting to see where they diverge. And this last fact, I think, confirms my thesis that most Americans of supposedly opposing sides are much more alike than we are different!
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I like that the United States is a nation of dreams and dreamers, who have stood strong against seemingly insurmountable tides to advocate for progress, freedom, and equal rights. While this is easy to forget today, the idea that “all men are created equal” and endowed “with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” seemed like a crazy, unbelievable, undreamable dream when first set forth in the Declaration of Independence. The actions of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and other brave activists towards the abolition of slavery seemed at the time to be an even more undreamable dream, but one similarly rooted in the idea that all human beings are intrinsically equal and intrinsically deserving of certain rights. The women’s rights movement, the LGBT rights movement, the movement against segregation, and various other campaigns for equal rights in the United States all began as dreams, but they succeeded thanks to their advocates’ ability to weave those dreams together with the dreams of the entire nation in a common American language: the language of freedom, faith, independence, and opportunity. I like that throughout the United States’ history, there have been many beautiful times when empathy prevailed over division and kindness prevailed over resentment. I like that these times all have their roots in seemingly undreamable dreams, including the great dream of ideals set forth in the first line of the Declaration of Independence and the great dreams of concrete reality that succeeded in part due to their interconnectedness as parts of a larger history. I like that, although terrible atrocities have scarred the pages of the American story, we still dare to dream these dreams, we still dare to embrace the potential of the United States, and we still dare to believe that the best parts of our nation’s history are worth aspiring to.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
It would be fascinating to tour the offices of the top U.S. government officials and federal agencies and get to ask the people who work there questions about what they do. Most of it is probably top secret, so I wouldn’t get to learn much, but it would be incredibly interesting to get to see the day-to-day operations of these institutions regardless.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Definitely Frederick Douglass. I think he’s incredible. His ability to always approach people with empathy as individuals, in what could easily be called the starkest and most black-and-white (literally) of situations, is nothing if not amazing to me. If it weren’t for that ability—the ability to speak to the best in people, to connect across differences, to emphasize our common humanity, to refuse the easy path of generalizations and tribalism, to never stop fighting for the beautiful potential in everyone and everything—we would live in a world without art, without honor, without friendship, and without love. However gargantuan my problems seem in the moment, they pale in comparison to those Douglass faced in his life, and if he could never let himself be subsumed in resentment, never give in to mass hatred, and always aspire to what Abraham Lincoln called the “better angels of our nature,” so can I!
Who is your greatest role model?
My greatest role model who is currently alive is Daryl Davis, who I talked about in my speech. He’s a black man who decided to start going to KKK meetings and talking to the Klan members as a fellow human being, somehow not being cowed by the possibility that they might kill him, and swayed over 200 members’ minds, causing them to submit their robes to Davis, denounce their former ideology, and shake his hand as an equal. A lot of people don’t believe in heroes and think that the power of friendship to overcome villainy is confined to the pages of comic books, but, well, I disagree.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I’m most passionate in my life about telling stories, capturing human emotion and understanding the human experience in a way that is meaningful to people. I think stories are the most powerful things in the world, stronger than rock or steel or iron—stories can make or break armies, can win wars, can raise empires, can save worlds or destroy them, can shift the course of history through the stirring of a human heart or the changing of a human mind.
When I was in high school, I often told stories through poetry, but now I much prefer telling stories through songs. My prefered medium may change as I get older, but I’m certain I will always be happiest immersed in stories, reveling in their power, hoping to counterbalance the ugliest stories people have told with the kindest, to contribute my own to the common language of the human species.
How do you spend your free time?
I write songs! I hope to start releasing them soon. I have written an album that I am very excited about, which explores the experience of being a teenage girl in high school through the stories of 15 different girls. I really want to get a record deal and create this album, which is titled Possibility. As of now, I plan to release several of my songs independently and hope that people will like them.
What are your plans for the future?
I want my legacy to be the hearts I’ve touched and the kindness I’ve left behind. I don’t want to ever find myself cutting corners because it’s easy or making small concessions against my principles and then convincing myself it’s for some greater good down the road. More specifically, I want to pursue singing and songwriting at whatever level I can, depending whether people like the music I create. I want to keep telling stories that move people and help them get through their day and hopefully make their lives better! I will be a sophomore at Cornell University next year, studying Government and International Relations.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
I want to create music that is meaningful to people and helps them get through their day. I hope that when I release my songs, I can find a way to get them to people and people will find them meaningful. I know that for me, music has gotten me through a lot and vastly improved my life. I would often look forward to the end of the school or work day so that I could listen to my favorite songs on the bus home. I would like to do the same for others—I hope to make music that inspires people, makes them feel and think, shows them that they’re not alone in what they’re going through, and gives them something to look forward to even if their day has gone terribly.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is perhaps the most important piece of political theory ever written, and it is relevant on the basis of its longstanding impact and influence. The Constitution offers a moral justification for a system of government in a way that is different from virtually all of its historical alternatives—governments typically justify their legitimacy through force, through order, or through a supposed mandate of Heaven, but the American Constitution makes a vastly different claim: this government is legitimate because all people are equally are entitled to certain rights, the government exists to protect those rights, and the people comprising the government are selected by the people they serve. The Constitution tells a story, a story that shapes the United States and its people. Everyone in the United States, everyone in a Western democracy, and really everyone in the world has interacted in some way with the story of the United States, and whatever one thinks about that story, it is undeniably relevant. The Constitution is also, of course, relevant because it is the supreme law of the land in the most powerful superpower the world has ever known, with the largest economy, strongest military, and most substantial direct influence on the rest of the world in all of history.
Trijal Tagadur
My name is Trijal Tagadur. I am a 7th grader at Piney Grove Middle School in the city of Cumming, GA. My favorite hobby is reading books such as novels and informational books. I often pore into books related to leadership, history, and science. I love writing because of the thoughtfulness and uniqueness behind literature. I also enjoy coding, practicing my guitar, and playing on my PS4. I love playing for my local soccer club, UFA. I have participated in writing competitions such as Young Georgia Authors and VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars). For Young Georgia Authors, I won at my grade level for four years in a row and once was awarded honorable mention at the State level. At the district level, I came second in the VFW competition. I have participated in math competitions like AMC8, MathLeague, and Perennial Math. I also took part in Battle of the Books, Vex Robotics, chess, and oratorical competitions. I have a second degree black belt in Taekwando. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this meaningful competition. Researching on topics related to this ignited a desire to learn more about the origins of our nation. This has made me continue to have a significant fondness for American history. I can’t wait to see what other adventures await me, which I will certainly look forward to.
Click here to read Trijal’s Winning Essay!
Our Interview With Trijal
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes, this was my first time entering this contest.
How did you hear about the contest?
My Social Studies teacher had posted information about this contest on our class page. As I looked through the information that was provided, I was very intrigued by this competition and decided to enter.
What inspired your work?
The story of our amazing and unique nation inspired me to write this essay in the way that I have done so. I always found it incredible that the people living in the colonies would find the strength and willingness to rise against a world power to protect their deserved rights.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned several absorbing and fascinating facts about the origins of our country. It was fun to look into the beginnings of our great country in detail.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I believe that if I self-educate myself on the importance of the Constitution, it will greatly impact my peers. This way I may pass on the knowledge that our Constitution withholds.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
My classmates enjoy learning and comprehending American history. Back in 4th grade, we loved learning about the beginnings of our country, including the founding fathers, the Constitution, and the American Revolution. Even now, my peers enjoy learning about history in general.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love dissecting the fundamental guiding philosophies and ethical principles underlying our Founding Fathers’ central outlooks on how to run this country as a democracy and republic, aligning the dogma of Enlightenment thinkers with radically innovative ideas at the time of civil liberties, religious protections, and legal representation for all.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
There are several historical sites that I would like to visit. These include the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, Independence Hall, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are tributes to two of the most significant people in US history. Independence hall and Gettysburg represent two esteemed events in the span of the history of America.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I think both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are the two most influential American historical figures for me. They had incredible leadership during certain tough times that held our country together.
Who is your greatest role model?
My greatest role models are my parents because I look up to them most of all. All the ethics and values that I hold dear are based on the two of them. They have taught me certain life lessons that I hope to utilize later in life.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
This is a tough one since I’m passionate about several things. These include soccer, writing, and nature.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend my free time reading books, playing soccer, and spending time with my beloved family.
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I aim to study well through the rest of my school years before I head to college. I seek to get into a significant university and study there for around 3-7 years. I am still debating on what career path to choose, but I know whichever path that I select, I shall give my utmost effort for it.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
I believe that I would attend to the necessities that people all around the globe lack access to. We are all part of the word “humanity” and doing the aforementioned would lift all of humanity higher. In addition, this would content my willingness to be able to give back to society.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is as relevant today as it was two hundred years ago. It still protects US citizens’ rights and freedoms today. US citizens are still able to enjoy and cherish the freedoms that are written boldly in the Constitution.
Rachel Xu
Rachel Xu is a sophomore in the International Baccalaureate program at Eastside High School. She is involved with the Student Government Association as the acting vice president representing 10th grade, participates in varsity Girls’ Weightlifting team, having won in district and regionals, serves on the PALS Leadership Council, and is actively involved in Mu Alpha Theta and the Health Occupations Students of America club. Outside of campus, she is a member of the UF Classical Guitar Ensemble and the local Annasemble Orchestra. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with local churches, nonprofits, and animal shelters, and her hobbies include writing and visual art, of which she has won numerous related essay, poetry, and art contests in the past.
Click Here to Read Rachel’s Winning Essay!
Our Interview With Rachel
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
Google search
What inspired your work?
Seeing the efforts of American families and active citizens across the country on social media and in the news trying to reassert their unalienable First Amendment rights to free speech, petition, and protest and, in doing so, advocate for the causes they believe to be most important and patriotic.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
By researching the failure of historical empires and the ensuing downfalls of countless political and social revolutions around the world in the last few centuries, I gained a great deal of knowledge about world history, change and continuities in global processes, and, above all else, the ineffable genius of our country’s system of government as delineated in America’s founding document, the Constitution.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Through social media engagement, one-on-one discussions, sharing relevant posts, and visiting historically significant locations and landmarks.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Like me, they’re very interested in exchanging ideas and sharing different perspectives on the nature of our Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments, especially as they relate to what we’re studying in civics and recent newsworthy events. We often enjoy having discussions about the nuanced modern interpretations of the founding documents, and take pride in being able to analyze and respond to questions about U.S. history in class.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love dissecting the fundamental guiding philosophies and ethical principles underlying our Founding Fathers’ central outlooks on how to run this country as a democracy and republic, aligning the dogma of Enlightenment thinkers with radically innovative ideas at the time of civil liberties, religious protections, and legal representation for all.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
The Statue of Liberty, because of its symbolic relevance as an international talisman of American freedom, justice, and equality, all core principles in the Declaration of Independence, as well as a beacon of hope for generations of immigrant families like my own arriving in this strange new land searching for an opportunity to begin anew and reinvent themselves.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Alexander Hamilton, for his role in crafting the building blocks for our federal government, championing the ratification of our Constitution, and altogether embodying the American dream of a man who rose from obscurity and impoverished squalor into the most elevated, stratified political spheres of the greatest country on the face of the Earth.
Who is your greatest role model?
Martin Luther King Jr., a man of impeccable dignity and righteousness who, above all else, viewed peaceful and nonviolent, but altogether meaningful and justified, political protest as the most moral and effective manner of galvanizing legislative and cultural progress.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
Defending the rights of the voiceless, whether that be through my work as a volunteer, my intended career going into the medical field, and, hopefully, through my writing and publications as a student right now.
How do you spend your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy sketching, biking, reading, crafting stories and poetry, badminton, learning languages, volunteering, listening to music, etc.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan on attending university, majoring in the scientific/medical field, and eventually obtaining a career in public health or affiliated clinical practices where I am able to aid epidemiological research efforts and promote the wellbeing of families and neighborhoods in my community.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
I would dedicate my weekends to volunteering with local nonprofits, whether that be animal shelters, daycares, churches, food banks, Habitat for Humanity, libraries, retirement homes, etc.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
It guarantees rights and freedoms to the citizens of this country, and acts as a blueprint for what our leaders and we as citizens should be doing to ensure our liberties and Constitutional privileges moving forward in these trying times as we continue to confront issues of partisan polarization, infringements on free speech, political corruption, inequality, and more.
Angela Zhong
Angela Zhong is a senior at Cypress Woods high school and one of twelve World Schools Ambassadors for the 2019 USA Debate Development Team. She is also the Debate Captain at her school and regularly places in the Top 10 at State and National tournaments in Lincoln-Douglas debate. Her understanding of philosophy through debating about moral dilemmas enabled Angela to become a finalist for the American Philosophy Olympiad as well. Additionally, she competes in FBLA, where she championed Texas in Financial Mathematics and finaled in Website Design. Outside school, she is the District Governor for Rotary International in the Greater Houston Area where she partnered with NEWGEN Peacebuilders. Through her service, she was a finalist for the Exemplary Student Service Award in the National Speech and Debate Association and a recipient of the Young Heroes Award by TD Bank and the National Liberty Museum. In her free time, she enjoys figure skating and reading the news.
Read Essay Here.
Short Film & PSA Winners
Coralyn Cairns
Coralyn Cairns is a Freshman at Lakeside Highschool in Georgia and is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program there. She is involved in Student Government, Science Olympiad, and the school’s production of Aladdin. Some other musicals she has played in are 101 Dalmatians and a Christmas Carol. Because of her love of fine arts, at one-point Coralyn whole-heartedly focused on acting, singing, and modeling. However, she now focuses on academics and is at the top of her class. While her favorite subject is science, she is also very passionate about foreign languages. Currently, she takes both Spanish and French, and hopes to start Latin soon. Additionally, Coralyn is a Sunday School teacher at her church on the weekends. Over the summer, she enjoys swimming competitively with her friends and sewing clothes. In the future, Coralyn wants to go on to be a pathologist. Coralyn’s family is very musical, with her father, who sings and plays the guitar, being her inspiration. He also teaches political science which has helped instill in her the importance of the Constitution.
Jake Cairns
Jake is a 17-year-old from Evans, Georgia who attends Evans High School as a Junior. He has played lacrosse for four years and is currently the varsity goalie for the Evans Knights! Jake’s hobbies are doing anything outdoors and music. He enjoys fishing, camping, hiking, boating, hunting and exploring all over the North Georgia Appalachian Mountains, waterfalls and rivers. When Jake is not busy exploring the great outdoors, you will find him at the piano playing and composing songs. Jake did not find his love for music until the pandemic hit in 2020. Bored and stuck in the house, he taught himself to read, play and compose music on the piano and guitar. Jake has been accepted to Toccoa Falls College where he plans to major in Outdoor Leadership and minor in Worship Music. This path combines both of his passions for the outdoors and music. After college Jake hopes to work for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as a game warden and continue to play music whenever possible.
Jake and Coralyn would also like to say thank you and express how proud they are of their older brother, Wyatt, who is currently serving in the United States Marine Corps.
Listen To Their Winning Song Below:
Our Interview With Coralyn & Jake
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Carolyn: This submission was my first for Constituting America.
Jake: I have not entered this contest before.
How did you hear about the contest?
Carolyn: I have a myOptions account through my school, and I occasionally peruse on there. Over the summer, I saw the contest on the scholarships page, and I was excited because it sounded like something I would really like to do.
Jake: My sister learned about the contest and asked me to partner up and create the song.
What inspired your work?
Carolyn: I think for writing lyrics, you have to find an inspiration that just opens the creative floodgates in your brain. Like a catchy melody or rhyming words that just stick in your mind. That’s what happened for me. Before I wrote the lyrics, we did a lot of research about the actual information, but because most people know the gist of the first amendment, we kind of overlooked it. However, I decided to look back at it, and I found the words press and redress. That immediately brought the building melody that we have in the chorus to my mind and we just built off of that.
Jake: The favorite artist who originally led me to the piano is Elton john. Much of my piano playing is inspired by his music and playing style.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
Carolyn: I have been writing my own lyrics since I was like maybe 7 or 8, but I have never actually put them to music. My brother plays other pieces or creates songs occasionally and then adds lyrics to them, but he doesn’t start with the lyrics. So I think we both learned how to mesh our two styles, musical backgrounds, and ideas together to make something cool.
Jake: I learned a great deal while creating this piece about the composition of a song and how to create distinct sections like a verse, pre chorus, and chorus.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Carolyn: I am currently taking an AP Government and Politics course and it has opened my eyes. I have a dad who teaches these concepts for a living and I couldn’t have told you most of the stuff about the Constitution that I know now a year ago. So for people who want to learn more about our country’s origins, I would recommend they take a Government course. Just learning about all the facets to the Constitution and the intentions behind the words of our Founders instills in you the Constitution’s importance. In the week that I am writing this, my class is talking about the President’s delegated powers along with Federalist 70, and how the Founders had so much for thought and inspiration to come up with a system that made an energetic President, yet still have a Congress that checks their power. To have created this document that has upheld our country’s values for so long, is absolutely crazy to me. For anyone who wants to hear, I can go on.
Jake: I plan to spread the importance of the constitution to my peers by starting conversation about current political issues. If I can shed more light on topics like gun control and social media censorship, the Constitutional Amendments will better be understood among my peers.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Carolyn: I moved school zones this year to be able to take part in the IB program in our county. I had to make all new friends. However, the group of people I am surrounded by are extremely bright and curious people. I have always had friends who were invested in their education, but it is refreshing to be around people who also care deeply about truly learning. All year my Government course has challenged us, but we help each other out, not only to receive good grades, but also because we are interested in the Constitution and our history and want to collaborate. It is a difficult class, but most of my friends would say it is one of their favorite classes.
Jake: The majority of my friends enjoy conversation about the constitution and American history, although most lack any concern of it being degraded or taken away.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
Carolyn: I love what I talked about earlier. Just the careful intention behind every single word of our Constitution. And also I think the unity of early America is truly inspiring. As human beings we have always had different opinions, but against all odds we fought for John Locke’s life, liberty, and (Thomas Jefferson’s change) the pursuit of happiness. Plus, after the Constitution’s ratification, the entire country was like, “Yep, we want Washington”. With how fractured America is now, I find the unity very admirable.
Jake: The thing I love most about United States history and the formation of its government is the focus on limited governmental power. The founding fathers’ focus was on individual freedom and liberty. While the government has expanded today the expansions are progressive and are used to help Americans so it still carries on a tradition of a people first government.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Carolyn: I would like to visit the White House. I went to Washington, D.C. in 6th grade and we were supposed to visit the White House, but the tour got cancelled. Out of all the places we went, I would have liked that the most. The White House is the home and office of every President to have ever lived, and the President is the energy and face of America.
Jake: I would like to visit Mt. Rushmore and see the massive sculptures of the presidents.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Carolyn: I would say the most influential historical figure to me would have to be First Lady Abigail Adams. Not only was she an advocate for women’s education, but also an advocate for women’s rights and the abolition of slavery. #RememberTheLadies
Jake: My most influential and inspiring historical figure is Thomas Jefferson. I completely agree with the stance Jefferson took with keeping a small central government and his focus on free speech.
Who is your greatest role model?
Carolyn: My greatest role model would be my mother. She has always worked so hard for my siblings and I, and is super supportive. When I wanted to focus on acting, singing, and modeling, she was right there. When I’m sad, she uplifts me. When I wanted to switch schools for IB, even though it would be harder to get me there, she was on board. My mom has very few flaws, and I would say that I have corrected most of them. Since I have been able to recommend changes to her outfits, they have been much better. She and I are best friends and I wouldn’t change that for the world.
Jake: Elton John and Billy Joel are my biggest role models, and I hope to one day make as unique and beautiful music as they did in the 1970s.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
Carolyn: I think I am most passionate about medicine and science. A few years ago, I would have said singing was my main passion, but in recent years my love for everything scientific has increased tenfold, specifically in the area of pathology. I am an incredibly curious and analytical person and I feel like that’s where I can make my impact in the world.
Jake: In life, I am most passionate about music and the outdoors. I love to hunt and camp along with playing piano and guitar.
How do you spend your free time?
Carolyn: I spend my free time sewing clothes, bags, stuffed animals, etc. I also like to swim competitively, record songs with my brother (I guess you know that), participate in clubs and plays at school, and volunteer at my church.
Jake: I am the starting goalie of my high school lacrosse team, and when I’m not playing lacrosse I play and write music on my piano.
What are your plans for the future?
Carolyn: When I go off to college, I want to major in some sort of pre-med program and minor in one of my languages. Then I want to go to medical school and hopefully intern at a medical examiner’s office. That’s because, at least right now, I want to be a forensic pathologist. As for short-term, I hope to be at the top of my class and receive an IB diploma when I graduate highschool.
Jake: I would like to become a Georgia park ranger and work in the state parks I frequently go camping and hiking in.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Carolyn: If I could do one super impactful thing in my life, I would establish more medical centers around the globe. The most important aspect of medicine is prevention and there are so many places around the world that need more medical care. The centers would be used to provide yearly check-ups, life-saving services, and education about taboo subjects
clouded with misinformation to communities who don’t have those resources.
Jake: I would like to work as a park ranger and help prevent harm to the forests of America, so often these parks are polluted and misused by people and I would like to help protect them.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
Carolyn: The Constitution is incredibly relevant today. It was and still is the leading example of a free and democratic government. It provides the blueprint for our expertly balanced government, and even accounts for modern day issues. For modern day issues from taxes to the economy to foreign policy, the Constitution delegates powers to our leaders. Being familiar with the Constitution allows citizens to be able to be active members of America’s political process and understand what’s going on.
Jake: Now more than ever certain constitutional rights are being debated over like the continued push for gun control and censorship on free opinions. I feel more and more Americans are ignorant of the rights they possess and why they are important.
Mary Crosby
Mary Crosby was born in Mount Vernon, Washington in 2007. She is the 5th of six Crosby children and is homeschooled. She has always enjoyed playing music and started violin at the age of six. At seven, Mary added piano and has since taught herself guitar, ukulele, and mandolin. Mary’s family has always valued public speaking skills, so she started learning these skills from a young age. Mary currently competes in the National Christian Forensics and Communication Association. She currently competes in 5 speech events: Apologetics, Impromptu, Informative, Digital, and Duo Interpretation. Last year, Mary won first place in the Digital Presentation category for Region II. Recently discovering a love of teaching younger students, Mary has taken on piano, violin, and ukulele students. She enjoys teaching others and learning right along with them.
Mary is so excited to be a part of Constituting America and can’t wait to learn even more about music from her mentor this year.
Click here or below to watch Mary’s Winning Song!
Emmalisa Horlacher
Emmalisa Horlacher 23, Best College Song Winner, grew up in Utah but spent recent years living in Virginia where she got to tour the Museum of National History displaying the Constitution as well as visit multiple Civil War sites. She is currently attending BYU and is in the process of applying for the Media Arts Program. She is involved in two Art Internships for Future House Publishing company and The Valley New Media Project. She spends free-time doing freelance video editing work for Peter Myers. She loves to write, sing, volunteer and work on creative projects like making pop-up cards and wire wrapped rings.
Corbin Jones
Corbin Jones, Best College Song Winner: My name is Corbin Jones. I Currently live in Provo Utah, I have lived in Huntsville, Alabama and in the Portland area. I am one of 8 kids and have grown up with a family that are very strong supporters of the constitution. I grew up taking several classes about the founding of the country, and have been a huge advocate for supporting America and the beliefs it was founded upon. I have played guitar since I was fourteen years old and play the piano and ukulele as well. Music is a very big part of my life. I love to play sports, camp, just be outdoors and be with other people. I am a product design major at Brigham Young University. I spent two years on a mission trip for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Northern California, serving and teaching people.
Click here or below to watch Emmalisa Horlacher & Corbin Jones’ winning song!
Click here for the lyrics!
Our Interview With Emmalisa and Corbin!
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Emmalisa: Yes.
Corbin: Yes.
How did you hear about the contest?
Emmalisa: My friend was doing a blog to submit for this contest. He told me about the different categories and I wanted to write a song. So I got my super talented friend Corbin to help me with the music and I’d do focus on the lyrics.
Corbin: My partner that I made the song with told me about it and we entered.
What inspired your work?
Emmalisa: The Constitution. While writing it I listened to an audio reading of the Constitution about three or four times. Then I pointed out specific words and phrases that I wanted to use. I really wanted to express how much I love this document. But the idea that we have to choose it, I suppose that came from my time at Southern Virginia University. In one of my classes we learned about the social contract where it is the people who have to choose to be governed by the laws they are living. That made me wonder, how many people my age have chosen this government or do they complain about having inherited it? Do people my age understand the power they have to change the laws and systems they do not agree with? The four fathers gave us a great legacy, we have to choose to live the legacy they gave us.
Corbin: Emmalisa did most of the lyrics, we edited what she had to fit some fun music that I made and Altered some of the words. Are both love the principles of the constitution and wanted to show that in the best way we could.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
Emmalisa: Ha! I learned how many syllables are in the word tranquility. Trying to fit that word onto a short line was quite the challenge! And of course I got to delve deeper into the constitution and the words it says to the people and the context behind its creation.
Corbin: I learned about some of the patriotic themes that even music that I write can have. I haven’t written patriotically like this and I liked it.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Emmalisa: I want to share my song with my peers. Also, a leader of my church, Dallin Oaks, recently gave a speech about the U.S. Constitution. I’d like to share that with my friends and family. He shared some amazing things that were very inspiring in support of the document. I want to study his words and apply them by being even more familiar with the Constitution and with how I can contribute to my local government.
Corbin: Maybe show them the song, teach them some, and stand up for what I believe about constitutional rights.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Emmalisa: Well, a lot of friends and family also have an appreciation for the Constitution, not quite the same kind of obsession that I do, but at least an appreciation.
Corbin: They love to have in-depth conversations about it. Sometimes we will talk about how our right are being affected in this day and age and use examples of modern situations.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
Emmalisa: Oh man, I think what I love most about U.S History and the forming of our government is the relationship between the individuals and the country as a whole. Each man specifically who went to Congress needed to be well read and familiar with men, passions, and logic. The individual quality of them was expected to be high but that did not determine their stances on specific things. They were each very unique with very specific ideas that all differed. With all those different ideas being contributed, they all still managed to compromise. They compromised! That is incredible that that many people were all able to come to an agreement on the formation of a country that would eventually rise to become a world power.
Corbin: The founding fathers went against the bigger power and sacrificed all for other pole to have freedom and rights.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Emmalisa: Mount Rushmore. Never been
Corbin: Mount Rushmore.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
Emmalisa: George Washington- The dude had an incredible life. He could have been king, but instead he wanted to go back home and go back to the life of a farmer, the life he loved.
Joseph Smith- His influence have shaped religions all over the world. He suffered so much and his influence has helped me learn about Christ.
Corbin: George Washington. He was very proactive and had so much influence. He sacrificed so much for others.
Who is your greatest role model?
Emmalisa: Jesus Christ. I believe in him and in what he did for mankind, for me. I love what he teaches me and how it inspires me to become a better person on a daily basis.
Corbin: General Douglas MacArthur. He did so much in the pacific for us in WW2.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
Emmalisa: My testimony of Christ. I also really love media, specifically kid’s cartoon shows.
Corbin: Music and the people I love.
How do you spend your free time?
Emmalisa: I create stories. In so many different ways. I create stories.
Corbin: I do a lot of product design and I love it a lot. I love sports and music. These take up a lot of my time.
What are your plans for the future?
Emmalisa: I want to create media that helps to bring families together. Specifically things that teach uplifting and inspiring morals. I want to help entertain by bringing healthy positive humor into people’s lives. I have been deeply affected by the media I’ve watched in my life. I hope to be able to affect others the same, in positive ways.
Corbin: Become an entrepreneur in product design and start businesses.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Emmalisa: Teach them their worth.
Corbin: Teach others how to learn. Knowing how to learn new things quickly is one thing I wish everyone knew how to do.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
Emmalisa: Because of how much choice it gives the people. Because of the rights it protects.
Corbin: We have basic rights that can be taken away if we are not careful. We need our freedom and we need to stand for it.
Colt Jaxon
Colt is a 16-year-old homeschool student living on a small cattle ranch in Florida. When he is not studying, Colt enjoys making Lego displays for local Lego exhibitions, including the Florida State Fair. Colt is the worship leader for his youth group, where he sings and plays guitar on Wednesday nights and for a children’s youth program on Saturday evenings. He grew up in Creation Happened’s creation apologetics ministry (creationhappened.org). Colt has interviewed scientists in the creation apologetics field all over the country. He was present at the opening of the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, where he, at ten years old, interviewed Ken Ham about the attraction. Additionally, this young man volunteers to help scientist and renowned speaker Dr. Jason Lisle, the Biblical Science Institute founder. Colt hosts a podcast called Creation Happened’s Believe it or Not, available on Apple podcasts.
Click here or scroll down to listen to Colt’s Winning Song!
Our Interview With Colt Jaxon
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
I am a “huge” fan of Vince Gill. I saw a video on YouTube of him giving a tour of his guitar room to previous contest winners. That incredible video prompted me to look up the website for Constituting America.
What inspired your work?
It is frightening living in this time when governments all over the world are trampling on people’s rights. To see outright tyranny in a close neighbor like Canada makes me thankful that we have the Constitution and the Supreme Court to protect us from the whims of politicians.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I researched the Constitution and realized that we Americans owe a lot to our 4th President, James Madison. He did a lot of hard work on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
Honestly, having the song helps. Whenever I sing it for people, I get several questions about why I wrote it and why the First Amendment is important.
How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Most of my friends are very interested in history. I am a home-schooled kid, and most homeschoolers hit United States history pretty hard.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I think Americans are very fortunate that we chose George Washington as our first President. He could have easily set himself up as a king. Instead, he set the standard for all future Presidents. Clearly, the U.S. Constitution is our forefather’s most impressive achievement. It is the premiere document of its kind in the world. Even though the United States is a relatively young country, our Constitution is the oldest (fully codified) Constitution globally.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I have traveled around the United States, from the battle site at Breed’s Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, to the Alamo in San Antonio. I have yet to go to Washington, D.C. I would like to go to the National Archives and see the original Constitution.
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I am a Munroe, so I am very interested in the history of the Munroe family in the United States. Sixteen of the Minute Men at the Battle of Lexington, Massachusetts, the first battle of the Revolutionary War, were from the Munroe family. The Munroe Tavern still stands in Lexington. Family history records that Sergeant “Billy” Munroe fired the famed “shot heard around the world.” Sergeant William Munroe was also the guard stationed outside of the house where Samual Adams and John Hancock were sleeping when Paul Revere came to warn them about the coming invasion of Lexington and Concord. He refused to let Revere into the house, and only after Hancock heard the commotion was Revere allowed to enter. I am a direct descendant of Sergeant William Munroe.
Because there was only one Munro clan in Scotland, all people who are named Munro, Munroe, Monro, Monroe are from the same family. So I have also always been inspired by my ancestor President James Monroe.
Who is your greatest role model?
I am a Christian, so obviously, the greatest role model and the one that we should all strive to emulate is Jesus Christ.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about the Lord Jesus and his plans for me. It is a fantastic feeling to lead a group of my peers to worship Him through my music. While I am passionate about music, I am also grateful and humbled that the Lord gave me this gift.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend a lot of time learning to play music (I recently bought a banjo) and writing songs. I also enjoy making Star Wars Lego displays for Lego shows. In addition, I make videos for our family ministry, Creation Happened, and I have a podcast, Creation Happened’s Believe it or Not. I help with the ministry when we do events. As a family, we often help out Biblical Science Institute started by our friend, astrophysicist Dr. Jason Lisle. In May, I will help him by selling books at his table at the Florida Homeschool Convention. I love doing this because I like to talk to the kids about apologetics and astronomy. I have also recently started the Brooksville Florida chapter of a Turning Point, the youth organization started by Charlie Kirk.
What are your plans for the future?
I am planning to go to college. I always have thought that I would become an Apologist, but I may also do something in music since this is also my passion.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
As a Christian, I am commanded to make disciples, so I plan to use my music to share my faith with others.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
Our government is a Constitutional Republic. It’s literally the backbone of our political system, the thing our government is based on. The Constitution protects us from tyranny. If interpreted correctly by the Supreme Court, it’s the only hope of sustaining the “American” way of life.
Dawson Rhoades
Dawson Rhoades, 12, is a 6th Grader at Grapevine Faith Christian School and resides in Texas with his parents and his older brother. Dawson’s hobbies include playing tennis, pickleball, golf, water skiing, acting, and performing on the piano. In his free time Dawson can be found adding music to his “favorites” playlist, which includes songs from the 80’s, Contemporary Christian, and Country Hits. Dawson’s favorite class is American History. Dawson enjoys learning about our country’s rich history and the lessons that can be learned from our past. He is honored to have been selected as “Best Middle School Song Winner.”
Listen to Dawson’s Winning Song Below:
Our Interview With Dawson
Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!
How did you hear about the contest?
My advanced science teacher Mrs. Lauden assigned the project.
What inspired your work?
I love to write music and I love America, so I decided to enter a song about the Constitution in the competition.
What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned that in the Bill of Rights there’s a provision regarding the housing of soldiers and another regarding unlawful search and seizure.
What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
I love that we have ups and downs in our history that we can learn from.
Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
Pearl Harbor
Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I would say Donald Trump because he is a smart businessman who ran our country like a business and promoted America first.
Who is your greatest role model?
My grandfather is my greatest role model because even though he has a disease that prevents him from doing the things he loves like tennis and golf, he perseveres and does the best he can and is supportive of his family and treats everyone he meets with respect and kindness.
What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about music, tennis, and personifying Jesus through my actions.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend my free time playing board games with my family and playing tennis.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to become a marine biologist. I’ve always loved nature and animals, in particular. I’d like to do something to benefit animals.
If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
America is one nation under God. Therefore, I would spread the gospel and the good word of Jesus.
Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution justifies our freedoms and gives us guidelines to follow.