Ninth Circuit Civics Contest Centers on Brown v. Board of Education

LAS VEGAS – 2024 marks the 70^th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s 1954  landmark ruling on Brown v. Board of Education in which the unanimous court held that  segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. The District of Nevada announced that the 2024 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest is now accepting essay and video entries. 

“70 Years Later – The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education” is the theme of the 2024 Ninth  Circuit Civics Contest, which is an annual essay and video competition open to students in grades  9-12 in public, private, parochial, charter schools and home-schooled students of equivalent grade  status in nine western states, the U.S. Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern  Mariana Islands. Children and relatives of federal court employees are not eligible to participate. 

Students will have an opportunity to win cash prizes while learning about the legacy of the Brown decision. In addressing the theme, students are asked to discuss what impact they think Brown has had and why, in an essay of 500-1,000 words or in a 3–5-minute video. Contest rules are  available on the civics contest website at https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/civicscontest/.  

Essay and video winners will share $2,850 in total cash prizes – $1,500 for first place, $850 for  second place, and $500 for third place. Winners in the District of Nevada will compete at the  circuit level where they will share $11,400 in total cash prizes – $3,000 for first place, $1,700 for  second place and $1,000 for third place. In addition, first-place winners at the circuit level will be  invited to attend the 2024 Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, where students will be recognized for  their achievements and also participate in a special panel discussion with members of the bench  and bar. 

The contest opened on January 8, 2024. Essay and/or video entries can be submitted online on  the civics contest website. Deadline to submit entries is 11:59 PM (PST), Friday, March 8, 2024.  Finalists will be announced in April and the winners in June.