Compete in the Being an American Essay Contest.

High school students and their teachers are invited to participate in the Bill of Rights Institute’s sixth annual Being an American Essay Contest.

The Being an American Essay Contest explores the Founding principles outlined in the Constitution, according to a contest statement.

The 2011-2012 contest is sponsored by the History Channel.

“This contest is unique in that it gives students the opportunity to think about the important Founding principles communicated in our Constitution,” said Dr. Jason Ross, Bill of Rights Institute Vice President of Education Programs in a statement. “This context is vital to helping students see their Founding principles as a meaningful part of the American experiment of self-government.”

Specifically, students are asked to share their thoughts on the Constitution by answering the following question:

“How does the Constitution establish and maintain a culture of liberty?”

The top three student winners from each of the five geographical regions will be awarded cash prizes of $1,000, $500 and $250, respectively. Teacher sponsors for each student winner will also receive a cash prize of $100.