SENATOR MCCORMICK LAUNCHES AMERICA250 ESSAY CONTEST FOR PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Winning essays to be entered into the Congressional Record; winners invited to meet with the Senator in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) today announced the launch of a Pennsylvania Youth Essay Contest in celebration of America's 250th anniversary, inviting high school students across the Commonwealth to reflect on Pennsylvania's central role in the American story.

Winning essays will be entered into the Congressional Record and their authors will be invited to meet with Senator McCormick in Washington D.C. Top runners-up will receive a signed letter of recognition from the Senator.

"This year, America turns 250 years old - and no state has shaped that story more than Pennsylvania," said Senator McCormick. "Only one state can claim the room where the Declaration of Independence was signed, where the most important battle of the Civil War was won, and where the Arsenal of Democracy was forged. As we celebrate this milestone, I want to hear from the next generation of Pennsylvanians - about the people who built this country, and about what they themselves intend to build next. I can't wait to read what they write."

How to Participate

Who is eligible: Pennsylvania high school students, divided into two divisions based on the grade they are rising into for the 2026-27 school year:

• Division I - Grades 9 and 10
• Division II - Grades 11 and 12

Length: 600 to 800 words.

Prompts (participants may choose either one):

• Prompt 1 - Choose a Pennsylvanian, from any era and any walk of life, whose story you believe every American should know. Who were they, what did they do, and what does their life reveal about what America is capable of at its best?
• Prompt 2 - The Founders didn't just celebrate 1776; they built something. As America turns 250, what is the one challenge you believe the next generation must solve to make America stronger at 300? What would you do about it?

How to submit: Email your essay to [email protected] by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 4, 2026. Use the subject line: 250th Essay - [Name, Grade, School, City].

Selection: Winners will be notified in late July. The authors of winning essays should be comfortable with having their essay, name, grade, and school identified publicly. Runners up and other submissions will not be made public.

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