The 2025 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest is open to high school students residing in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington state, the U.S. Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Students in the 9th through 12th grades attending public, private, parochial and charter schools, and home-schooled students of equivalent grade status, are invited to participate. Children of federal judges, chambers staff and employees of federal court offices are not eligible to participate.
What is the thing you prize the most? The possession you would never give away? Never put someplace you couldn’t find it? Maybe you are thinking computer, phone, fancy jewelry, favorite childhood stuffie or something like that.
But how about your rights? As a U.S. citizen, you are guaranteed fundamental rights under the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the United States. Hand in hand with those rights come serious responsibilities to our nation and our society.
The 2025 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest prompt challenges you to dive into the rights and responsibilities of being a U.S. citizen and explore deeply how they affect you and how you can affect them. There is no one correct way to answer the prompt and no specific rights you are expected to highlight. Here are a few questions that may help ignite your investigation. It is up to you to express your thoughts on this civics journey. Dive in!
- Which right or rights are you most excited to exercise when you reach the age of majority—18—or become an adult citizen through naturalization? Why?
- What constitutional rights can you exercise now? Have you exercised any of these, and what has it meant to you? Do you have plans to exercise any others?
- What constitutional rights can you exercise now? Have you exercised any of these, and what has it meant to you? Do you have plans to exercise any others?
- Why does the contest pair “rights” with “responsibilities” and state they go hand in hand?
Students may submit an essay or video or both beginning January 8th, 2025. Deadline for entries is March 7, 2025. The winners of the Southern District of California contest will have their essays or video’s submitted to the circuit-wide contest, as well as wining the following prizes:
- 1st Place: $1,000
- 2nd Place: $500
- 3rd Place: $250
All students who participate will be invited to attend a reception held at the Judith N. Keep and James M. Carter United States Federal Courthouse, where the submissions and winners will be recognized.
Click here for 2025 Circuit Civics Contest rules and details.