INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (October 1, 2021): During the month of October, the United States Courts of Appeals along with the United States District Courts for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits are hosting a Bill of Rights Day contest and we want YOU to be a part of it!

School aged children (grades 3-12) in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are invited to submit an essay, poem, video, photograph, song, or piece of art on the importance of the Bill of Rights. Be as creative as you like!  Complete information and contest rules can be found at https://judiciallearningcenter.org/bill-of-rights-day/.  

A grand prize winner from each of the three age groups (Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12) will be awarded a $500 cash prize, and have their name and submission shared on the websites of the participating United States District Courts. Semi-finalists from Indiana will receive an electronic gift card valued at $50.

Submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Sunday, October 31.

Semi-finalists will be notified before Thanksgiving and grand prize winners will be announced at a special virtual event for families on the enduring rights afforded to Americans by the Bill of Rights. The virtual event will take place on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at 6pm Central/7pm Eastern. The virtual event is open to all families and fans of American civics. You do not need to enter the contest to attend. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. To register, visit https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_pYc-8ybhSMCKwiz6hgC6uA.

For questions, please contact Mary Giorgio, Outreach Coordinator for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, at mary_giorgio@insd.uscourts.gov or via phone at 317-229-3711.