Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics name latest Civic Star Challenge winners

The Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics have announced the latest winners of the Civic Star Challenge, a nationwide contest recognizing teachers who tie America’s founding ideals to classroom civic learning. The challenge has been extended through Dec. 15, 2026, with $50,000 more in prizes as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Why it matters: - The Civic Star Challenge is designed to push civic education beyond textbook study and into practical skills students will use as voters and community members. - The contest centers on civic action, media literacy, and debate and dialogue. - The current round focused on media literacy, a skill both organizations say is increasingly important in a digital democracy. - Teachers can use the challenge to connect founding documents to students’ daily lives and current events.

What happened: - The Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics named the latest winners of the Civic Star Challenge on Nov. 5, 2026. - Educators received $5,000 each for classroom work connecting founding ideals to civic learning during America’s 250th anniversary year. - The latest winners are Katie Boland of Trumbull High School in Trumbull, Connecticut; Deborah Romick of Bridgeport Middle School in Bridgeport, Ohio; and Patricia Whiddon of Live Oak Learning Center in Rockport, Texas. - Hannah Nibert of Sidney Gutierrez Middle School in Roswell, New Mexico, received an honorable mention.

The details: - The contest asks educators to submit a brief narrative describing student learning or outcomes from a related lesson or classroom activity. - Teachers may use free resources from iCivics and the Bill of Rights Institute, other materials, or lessons they developed themselves. - The challenge was originally set to run through July 4, 2026, to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. - Organizers extended the program through Dec. 15, 2026. - The extension adds three contest periods and $50,000 in additional prizes. - Each period awards $5,000 to one educator in each grade band: K–5, 6–8, and 9–12. - Nine winners will be selected overall across the added periods. - Four additional honorable mentions of $1,250 each will be awarded across the challenge. - The contest periods run Aug. 15-Sept. 30, Oct. 1-31, and Nov. 1-Dec. 15. - Educators may enter once per period at civicstarchallenge.org. - This round asked educators to have students practice finding, evaluating, analyzing, and responsibly using information from varied sources.

Between the lines: - The challenge reflects a broader push to make civic learning more hands-on and less abstract. - The focus on media literacy suggests organizers see source evaluation and evidence-based judgment as core citizenship skills, not optional add-ons. - The prize structure rewards classroom practice across age groups, which helps broaden participation beyond a single grade level.

What's next: - The challenge continues through Dec. 15, 2026. - Three more contest periods remain, giving educators additional chances to apply and win prizes. - The next rounds will continue the program’s emphasis on civic education tied to America’s 250th anniversary. - iCivics and the Bill of Rights Institute will keep promoting the challenge as part of their broader civics education work.

The bottom line: - The Civic Star Challenge is turning the 250th anniversary of American independence into a yearlong push for stronger classroom civic and media literacy instruction.