It's a sad commentary when a fifteen year-old has a better understanding of the Constitution than most of our elected representatives on Capitol Hill.

Brandon Spicer, a homeschooled junior from Selah, earned 1st place and $1,000 in the sixth annual 'Being an American Essay Contest" conducted by the Bill of Rights Institute.

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Spicer’s sponsoring teacher, Ann Bowman, also received a cash prize of $100.  

The contest, co-sponsored by the HISTORY channel, asked students, “How does the Constitution establish and maintain a culture of liberty?”By encouraging students to consider how the Constitution establishes and maintains a culture of liberty, the Essay Contest serves as a key part of the Bill of Rights Institute’s mission to educate young people about the words and ideas of America's Founders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding documents, and how our Founding principles continue to affect and shape a free society.In his winning essay, Spicer, who selected “Limited Government” as the topic of his essay and thought Thomas Jefferson most embodied the selected Founding principle, wrote:

The Constitution established a culture of liberty. To maintain that culture, every American needs to take the time to learn about our nation’s founding principles, stay up to date on current events, and not be afraid to stand up when the government encroaches on our freedoms.”

To read his entire work, click here.

Congratulations to Brandon, his teacher and family!

Have you ever won a contest based on your work or something that you produced?  Tell us in the comments below:

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