Sixty-three educators have been awarded $300 each for integrating themes from the Declaration of Independence into their teaching in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
WASHINGTON, DC [February 6, 2026] The Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics have named the second round of winners of the Civic Star Challenge, a nationwide initiative to inspire millions of acts of civic learning in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The Civic Star Challenge makes the teaching of the Declaration of Independence digestible and relatable to today’s youth by providing educators with a repository of adaptable lesson plans and activities that teach the key themes of the founding document. The resources are available at civicstarchallenge.org. Once educators have taught at least one of 11 themes, they can submit a log of their activities for a chance to win from a cash prize pool totaling more than $200,000.
The Challenge includes four cycles of random drawings, each awarding $300 to selected teachers, and an essay contest that has a $10,000 grand prize for the winning teacher’s school district.
The Civic Star Challenge is made possible through generous support from Griffin Catalyst, civic engagement initiative of Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin; the Stand Together Trust; and The Pedersen Foundation.
Today, the 63 winners of the second round of drawings have been announced. The teachers represent more than 30 states.
“The Civic Star Challenge honors the educators who keep America’s founding principles alive in their classrooms,” said David Bobb, President and CEO of the Bill of Rights Institute. “Their work reminds us that civic knowledge and virtue are essential to sustaining liberty for the next generation and to helping students see their role in preserving a free society.”
“The celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is an incredible moment to engage in the teaching of our founding documents and in civic education in general – and this has never been more critical,” iCivics CEO Louise Dubé said. “We’re proud to be able to reward teachers for their efforts to connect the themes and ideals from the Declaration to the present.”
The winners are listed below:
Natalia Allen Jon Barnes Andrea Bauck Jason Bennett Sherry Blenman Laura Brucato Cady Burstein Cindy Cantu Avery Keese Morrow Kerins Steven Leavitt Andrea Longstreet Laura McFarren Linda McGinness Joseph McGuire Sarah Mensinger Lisabeth Mikolajczyk-Harper Laura Mirt Evangeline Mitchell Stephanie Nichols | Stacey Clark Melanie Claros-Rodriguez Christopher Crawford Artur Da Silva Daniel Dawson Lauren Feld Brittany Ferguson Thomas Fulbright Charles Oliver Beth Oswald Amy Palo Kristen Parise John Phillips Shine Ray Kristal Reeves Stephanie Richards Richard Rineberg Kara Robinson Michele Rowley Shannon Salter-Burghardt Jamie Shannon | Randall Furash-Stewart Nicole Gasparik Jennifer Graham Anne Hester Jean Hiller Kimberly Huffman Kevin Jackson Jaclyn Jecha Dawn Skelton Craig Specht Molly Stanley Tabby Talbourdet Shelly Tanner Michael Thomas Brande Vogele Anne Walker Nadia Westen Kymberli Wregglesworth Blanche Wulfekoetter Gregory Yarnall Heather Yates |
ABOUT iCIVICS
Founded in 2009 by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing civic learning by providing educators and students with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to embrace and engage in our civic life together. iCivics empowers educators and leads the movement to make civic education a nationwide priority so all young people have the confidence to shape the world around them and believe in our country’s future. To learn more, visit www.icivics.org.
ABOUT BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE
The Bill of Rights Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to advance civic and history education through market-leading curricula and programs for educators and students. To learn more, visit www.mybri.org.
ABOUT GRIFFIN CATALYST
Griffin Catalyst is the civic engagement initiative of Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, encompassing his philanthropic and community impact efforts. Tackling the world’s greatest challenges in innovative, action-oriented, and evidence-driven ways, Griffin Catalyst is dedicated to expanding opportunity and improving lives across six areas of focus: Education, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, Freedom & Democracy, Enterprise & Innovation, and Communities. For more information, visit griffincatalyst.org.
