Expert Overview

The Congressional Essay Contest is a National Society of the Colonial Dames of America competition in which high school students write a 750-word essay on a constitutional question. Winners receive scholarships to a week-long Congressional Seminar in Washington, D.C., run by the Workshops Foundation.

Format

Individual

Judging Format

Criteria based (The essays are judged based on content, original thought, accuracy, and writing style.)

Opportunity

Grade Eligibility

Rising Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors

Geographic Eligibility

U.S.

Discipline

Essay ContestGovernmentPoliticsHistory

Entries

Not published

Percent Awarded

Not published

Important Dates

Submissions Open

August 1, 2026

Submission Deadline

December 1, 2026

Passed

Open

Approaching: < 1 mo.

Priority: < 2 weeks

Urgent: < 1 week

Registration Cost

No entry fee

About

Students in grades 9–12 submit an essay of up to 750 words on an annual topic (2026–27: how the Constitution handles consent through representation), with a works-cited list, by December 1 through a state society or the national Dropbox. AI-written essays are disqualified. State society panels judge first, and the national committee judges the winners and alternates, scoring content (50 points), form (25), and individuality (25).

The NSCDA lists more than 50 scholarships a year, but publishes no entry totals, so the rate cannot be stated. The scholarship covers seminar tuition, housing, and meals, with travel support that varies by state society. The prize is a seat at the seminar rather than a cash award or a ranking, and its value as a credential is the program itself: a Mock Congress, speaking training, and government visits.

The Congressional Essay Contest is the right competition for a student interested in civics and government who wants to earn a funded place in a Washington seminar by writing a focused, cited essay.