U.S. Department of Education
06/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/30/2026 15:32
“Presidential 1776 Award: The Ultimate Civics Showdown” to Air on CBS Tonight
June 30, 2026
Tonight, the "Presidential 1776 Award: The Ultimate Civics Showdown" will air from 8:00-9:30 PM ET on the CBS Television Network, and be available to stream tomorrow on Paramount+.
Hosted by television host and entertainment personality Mario Lopez, the national finals mark the conclusion of the first-ever Presidential 1776 Award competition, a nationwide civics challenge created to celebrate America's top high school students and their knowledge of our nation's founding principles.
"Tonight, we have the privilege of celebrating some of America's most exceptional young minds as they take the national stage in the Presidential 1776 Award Finals," said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. "Created as part of our nation's Semiquincentennial celebrations, this award recognizes students who have demonstrated a deep understanding of America's founding principles and enthusiasm for learning America's story. What better way to celebrate 250 years of this great nation than by honoring those who will carry us into the next 250!"
Watch the following national finalists compete in the Presidential 1776 Award National Finals tonight:
- Jake Aoyagi, Oregon (alternate)
- Summer Brondstetter, Washington
- Frankie Buonpastore, New York
- Owen Burill, Kansas
- Tovia Chan, Washington
- Sam Chumley, Arizona
- Ryan Culbertson, Oregon
- Sokhna Diop, South Carolina
- Graham Engle, New Hampshire (alternate)
- Dareck Flores-Barreda, Kansas
- Graeme Griffiths, Rhode Island
- Olivia Grote, North Dakota (alternate)
- Macon Harrell, Mississippi
- Elisha Hoey, New Mexico
- Wasif Jaigirdar, Pennsylvania (alternate)
- Ishant Jawali, North Carolina
- Rowan Kozminski, Michigan
- Christian Liu, Maryland
- Rigley Nelson, South Carolina (alternate)
- Cayden Plate, Iowa
- Caden Rose, Indiana
- Aangad Singh, Connecticut
- Kaelyn Vaughan, West Virginia
- Miriam Washut, Wyoming
- Ray Zhao, Virginia
The broadcast special is produced by Alongi Media, with Phil Alongi and Gideon Hayes serving as executive producers.
About the Presidential 1776 Award
The Presidential 1776 Award is a nationwide civics competition recognizing exceptional student knowledge of the American founding. The program establishes a national scholarship competition designed to promote civic literacy and celebrate academic excellence.
The Presidential 1776 Award competition is comprised of three stages:
- Round One: During the week of February 22 to 28, 2026, students competed in The Impossible Civics Test, an online, timed, electronically proctored multiple-choice exam. Four finalists from each state and territory advanced.
- Round Two: On May 2, 2026, 173 state finalists competed in one of five in-person regional semifinal competitions. During these oral competitions, students answered short-answer questions that tested their understanding of the Constitution, the American founding, and key moments in our nation's history. The top four students from each region advanced to the National Final.
- Round Three: The National Final took place in Washington, D.C. on June 9, 2026. Students competed in an oral academic competition earning points for each correct answer. The top three finalists won a total of $250,000 in scholarship prizes.
Multiple-choice and oral examinations for all three rounds were developed independently by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation.
Background
The Presidential 1776 Award is one of The U.S. Department of Education's (the Department's) initiatives to celebrate America's 250th birthday. The Department has also launched the History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour in partnership with Freedom 250 and in coordination with the America 250 Civics Education Coalition - a national partnership that includes the America First Policy Institute, Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College, and more than 50 national and state organizations. This coalition is dedicated to advancing civic education and expanding opportunities for students to learn about the ideas, individuals, and events that define the American story.
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