The Citizenship Challenge

The Citizenship Challenge: Redesigning America’s Citizenship Test

The Gilder Lehrman Institute (GLI) launched the 2025 Citizenship Challenge: Redesigning America’s Citizenship Test contest for students in our Affiliate School network to creatively showcase their understanding of American history, civics, and the naturalization exam. Each winning student will receive a $500 prize and be featured on GLI’s The Citizenship Test: Civics and American History webpage. Ten prizes will be awarded.

The 2025 Contest is closed.

About the Contest

As part of the contest, students in grades 3-12 submitted an original essay, podcast, or documentary as an entry to the competition. Submissions for the contest were due on May 15, 2025. The contest is currently closed.

A jury of master teachers recruited by GLI is reviewing the entries. The winners will be determined by a panel comprised of members of GLI’s Student Advisory Council. Entries will be evaluated for their depth of research, creativity, accuracy, and quality of argumentation. Students’ work will be reviewed and judged at their respective grade levels (Grades 3–8 and Grades 9–12). Winners will be notified in late June and announced by no later than July 11, 2025.

Submission Guidelines

For All Entries

Who can submit: Students in grades 3–12 can submit a project. A teacher or a parent/guardian can submit the student-produced project to the award website on the student’s behalf.
Topics/Theses: Submissions must
- Craft a relevant and insightful question that should be included in the new test. Provide the correct answer to your question.
- Explain why this question (and its answer) is vital, highlighting why the information is critical for future US citizens to know.

Written Submissions (Essays)

Word Count: Your essay should be approximately 300–600 words. (The title, footnotes/endnotes, and bibliography are not included in this word count.)
Judging Criteria: Essays will be judged on the quality of historical research, analysis, and clarity.
Font and Page Style: Use Times New Roman, 12-point font. Set one-inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides.
Ensure your essay is free of teacher comments, corrections, or other notes.
Primary Sources: Include primary source documents related to the history of US citizenship and naturalization.
Secondary Sources: Use scholarly secondary sources rather than textbooks for top-tier projects.
Citations: Provide clear, complete, and consistent citations.
Document your sources using MLA, APA, or Chicago Manual of Style/Turabian.
Cite online sources with the creator/author, title, publisher, and URL.
Bibliography: Include a bibliography that lists all sources. Separate your bibliography into primary and secondary sources.

Mini Podcast/Documentary

Length: Your production should be approximately 2–4 minutes long.
Primary Sources: Integrate primary source documents related to the history of US citizenship and naturalization, including audio-based and/or image sources (archival audio and/or photographs or video). Highlight citizenship and naturalization through primary sources in your production.
Secondary Sources: Use scholarly secondary sources rather than textbooks for top-tier productions.
Organization: Ensure your production has a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end.
Citations: Provide full citations for all sources. Refer to the NPR Ethics Handbook for guidance on citing audio sources.
Bibliography: Include a separate bibliography listing all sources. Divide your bibliography into primary and secondary sources.

Other Citizenship Resources

A pair of spectacles laying on the Constitution

Review the Citizenship Test

Use the full version of the citizenship test on our website to get a sense of what is on the exam.

George Washington's face in Mount Rushmore

View the Video Library

Our resource suite includes a library of short videos explaining key topics connected to questions on the citizenship test, featuring eminent historians and content experts in the field.