The U.S. Department of Education and CBS announced today that the 1776 PRESIDENTIAL AWARD special will be broadcast Tuesday, June 30, (8:00-9:30PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream the next day on Paramount+.
The national finals mark the conclusion of the first-ever Presidential 1776 Award competition, a nationwide civics challenge created to celebrate America’s top high school students and their knowledge of our nation’s founding principles. The Presidential 1776 Award National Finals will bring the top performers from each region to the nation’s capital for a live, in-person competition, testing their knowledge of the Constitution, America’s founding principles, and defining moments in U.S. history. Finalists will compete for scholarships of up to $150,000.
After a rigorous online qualifying exam and in‑person semifinal competitions, 20 students are advancing to the Finals from an original pool of over 8,000 students across all 50 states and territories.
“As America approaches its 250th birthday, the Presidential 1776 Award is helping inspire a new generation of informed and engaged citizens who understand our Constitution, our history, and the responsibilities of freedom,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “These remarkable students have already distinguished themselves through an extraordinary demonstration of civic knowledge, leadership, and commitment to the principles that define our nation.”
Through the broadcast, audiences nationwide will have the opportunity to witness a televised special on this historic competition and celebrate the next generation of American civic leaders.
“This competition celebrates America’s young people. Their passion for understanding the Constitution, our founding principles and defining moments in history assure all of us that they cherish the principles of democracy – our country is in good hands with the next generation,” said Susan Zirinsky, president and executive producer of See It Now Studios at Paramount.
The broadcast special is produced by Alongi Media, with Phil Alongi and Gideon Hayes serving as executive producers.
About the Presidential 1776 Award
The Presidential 1776 Award is a nationwide civics competition recognizing exceptional student knowledge of the American founding. The program establishes a national scholarship competition designed to promote civic literacy and celebrate academic excellence.
The Presidential 1776 Award competition is comprised of three stages:
- Round One: During the week of February 22 to 28, 2026, students competed in The Impossible Civics Test, an online, timed, electronically proctored multiple-choice exam. Four finalists from each state and territory advanced.
- Round Two: On May 2, 2026, 173 state finalists competed in one of five in-person regional semifinal competitions. During these oral competitions, students answered short-answer questions that tested their understanding of the Constitution, the American founding, and key moments in our nation’s history. The top four students from each region advanced to the National Final.
- Round Three: The National Final will take place in Washington, D.C. on June 9, 2026. Students will compete in an oral academic competition earning points for each correct answer. The top three finalists will win scholarships $250,000 in scholarship prizes.
Multiple-choice and oral examinations for all three rounds were developed independently by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation .
The following students have qualified for the Presidential 1776 Award National Finals:
- Jake Aoyagi, Oregon (alternate)
- Summer Brondstetter, Washington
- Frankie Buonpastore, New York
- Owen Burill, Kansas
- Tovia Chan, Washington
- Sam Chumley, Arizona
- Ryan Culbertson, Oregon
- Sokhna Diop, South Carolina
- Graham Engle, New Hampshire (alternate)
- Dareck Flores-Barreda, Kansas
- Graeme Griffiths, Rhode Island
- Olivia Grote, North Dakota (alternate)
- Macon Harrell, Mississippi
- Elisha Hoey, New Mexico
- Wasif Jaigirdar, Pennsylvania (alternate)
- Ishant Jawali, North Carolina
- Rowan Kozminski, Michigan
- Christian Liu, Maryland
- Rigley Nelson, South Carolina (alternate)
- Cayden Plate, Iowa
- Caden Rose, Indiana
- Aangad Singh, Connecticut
- Kaelyn Vaughan, West Virginia
- Miriam Washut, Wyoming
- Ray Zhao, Virginia
Background
The Presidential 1776 Award is one of the Department’s initiatives to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. The Department has also launched the History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour in partnership with Freedom 250 and in coordination with the America 250 Civics Education Coalition – a national partnership that includes the America First Policy Institute, Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College, and more than 50 national and state organizations. This coalition is dedicated to advancing civic education and expanding opportunities for students to learn about the ideas, individuals, and events that define the American story.