News Blog

This is it, writers — the final countdown. Entries for the 917 Society's 2026 Essay Contest are due October 1, 2026, and that date will be here before you know it. If you're an 8th-grade student (or the teacher of one), here's your last-call guide to getting your essay submitted on time. Quick Contest Refresher Theme: "What America 250 Means to Me" Who can enter: 8th-grade students anywhere in the United States Length: 300–500 words Deadline: October 1, 2026 Winners announce

Constitution Day has come and gone — but here at the 917 Society, the celebration is just getting started. Constitution Week (September 17–23) is officially underway, and classrooms in all 50 states spent America's 250th Constitution Day doing what this anniversary deserves: reading, discussing, and celebrating the document that made the United States possible. Here's a look at how this historic Constitution Day unfolded — and how you can keep the spirit of the week going in

September 17, 1787. Philadelphia. Independence Hall. Thirty-nine delegates stepped forward and signed their names to a document that would become the foundation of the most enduring democracy in human history. Two hundred and thirty-nine years later — in the middle of America's 250th anniversary year — we still live under that document. What actually happened on September 17, 1787 The Constitutional Convention had been meeting since May. Delegates from 12 of the 13 states arg

The Bill of Rights is ten amendments. It's also the most misunderstood, most argued-over, most personally relevant section of the entire Constitution — and most 8th graders have never actually read it. Here's how to change that.

Constitution Day falls on September 17th — and for 8th graders, it's one of the most meaningful civics moments of the school year. Whether you have a single class period or a full week to dedicate, this toolkit gives you everything you need to make it count.