On June 30, 2026, 1.63 million Americans tuned in to CBS to watch something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago: a prime-time civics competition.

A 17-year-old homeschooler from Lander, Wyoming, named Miriam Washut outlasted more than 8,000 students from every state and U.S. territory to win the first-ever Presidential 1776 Award — a $150,000 scholarship and a Presidential Challenge Coin from the Oval Office. Summer Brondstetter of Washington took second and $75,000. Rowan Kozminski of Michigan placed third with $25,000.

The finals, held at the Kennedy Center, had the energy of a game show. Rapid-fire questions on the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence. Revolutionary War battles. The Founding Fathers. The ideas that shaped the American republic. Students competed under pressure before a live audience, in a format that blended the intensity of the Scripps National Spelling Bee with the pace of a quiz show.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it proof that "civics is cool."

She's right. And it all starts with one thing: a pocket constitution book in a student's hands.

FROM A POCKET CONSTITUTION BOOK TO THE KENNEDY CENTER

Nobody walks onto a national stage with mastery of the Constitution without first holding one. Before the Kennedy Center, before the Presidential libraries where 173 regional semifinalists competed in May, before the 90-minute "Impossible Civics Test" that started it all in February — there was a moment when each of those students first opened the document and read it for themselves.

That moment matters. It's the difference between memorizing facts for a test and understanding that "We the People" includes you.

The 917 Society exists to make sure that moment happens for every 8th grader in America. We distribute free pocket Constitutions to 8th grade classrooms in all 50 states — no cost, no catch, no strings. Since 2010, millions of students have received their own copy to read, carry, and keep.

The Presidential 1776 Award proved something powerful: that constitutional literacy can captivate a nation. But the 8,000 students who competed are a fraction of the millions who should have the chance to hold the Constitution and discover what it says.

THE STATS BEHIND THE SHOWDOWN

The Fordham Institute recently highlighted a sobering contrast: in 1998, 67% of Americans said it was absolutely essential for schools to teach that America is fundamentally good. By 2026, that number had fallen to 42%.

A Cato Institute poll found that 86% of Americans are grateful to be American and 70% say the Founding principles remain relevant today. But nearly half couldn't identify what the 250th anniversary commemorates.

The enthusiasm is there. The knowledge isn't. The gap between them is exactly what a pocket constitution book can close — one student at a time.

HOW YOU CAN FUEL THE MISSION

The Presidential 1776 Award showed us what happens when students get invested in their founding document. Here's how you can help make that investment possible:

For supporters and the general public: When you buy a copy of "Celebrating the Constitution and U.S. Citizenship" on Amazon, your purchase directly funds the mission of putting free Constitutions into 8th grade classrooms. It's a way to own the document yourself while ensuring the next generation gets the same opportunity. Grab your copy here: http://bit.ly/4bZn8dk

For teachers and schools: Request your free 8th grade Constitutions directly through our website — we handle printing and shipping at no cost to you. Visit 917society.org/order-constitutions

For donors: Every dollar goes to printing and shipping. Support the mission at 917society.org/donate

THE NEXT 250 YEARS START IN A CLASSROOM

Miriam Washut didn't become a constitutional scholar overnight. It started with curiosity, a document, and the willingness to read it. The Presidential 1776 Award celebrated 8,000 students who took that step. The 917 Society wants to make sure millions more get the chance.

A pocket constitution book is small enough to fit in a backpack. But in the right hands, it can change how a generation understands its country.

READ IT. KNOW IT. CARRY IT.

The 917 Society is a Nashville-based nonprofit dedicated to putting a free pocket Constitution in the hands of every 8th grader in America. Since 2010, we've distributed millions of Constitutions to classrooms in all 50 states. Learn more at 917society.org.