When have you ever heard of a writing contest that flies winning students, teachers, and parents to Washington D.C. from all over the nation, houses them at The Mayflower Hotel, treats them to a gala dinner and an awards breakfast, takes students on tours of the White House, Supreme Court, and the Capitol, then gives checks to every student and teacher as they leave?

April 3-5, all that occurred at the “Being an American” writing contest Awards Weekend. 30 students, 30 teachers, and 30 parents from ten different states were the guests of the Bill of Rights Institute, and I was lucky enough to be one of them.

This came about because Eliot Waxman, my team teacher and a participant in Bill of Rights constitutional seminars, suggested we design an interdisciplinary assignment with the goal of asking all students to write the contest essay on civic values. Although each teacher can only officially submit five essays, every one of our seniors put effort into the final product.

The “hook” for the kids was the promise of ten awards from each of three regions of the country, ranging from $250 for honorable mention to $5000 for first place. The ten winners from each region comprised the 30 winners feted in Washington.

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The contest question asked students to reflect on how they exemplify an American civic value in their own lives, linking that value with an historical figure and founding document.

Our students picked patriotism, independence, perseverance, creativity, thriftiness, competitiveness, and many other values, underscoring how easy it was for each student to individualize the question-essential in producing good pieces of writing. Our winning student, Andy Rys, picked compromise as a “lost” American civic value. His first-place essay attributes to compromise America's ability to adapt to conflict and diversity, but regrets that often we confuse compromise with weakness and feel we must impose our will on others.

The two days were an interesting mixture of large-scale civic pride, and simple joy in being treated so well. Few organizations pamper students or teachers, no matter how great the honor or distinction. The Bill of Rights Institute and their corporate sponsors made every student, teacher, and parent feel proud to be part of this contest, as well as proud to be an American.

By treating all of us so well, with such lavish appreciative gestures, the Institute showed its own pride in its mission to revive an awareness of the Constitution and the values that helped found our nation. Next year, students in all fifty states will be able to participate in the contest, and the Awards Weekend will include 50 student winners, 50 teachers, and 50 parents-no small undertaking!

I hope many teachers will encourage their classes to write this essay next year, not only for the possibility of a cash award and fabulous weekend, but also for the opportunity to have students reflect on what makes us unique as a nation, and how we can reinforce or revive some of the qualities that were part of our founding. The organization's website has many resources for teachers and students. Andy, Eliot, and I thank you!