THE RULES, PLAINLY
The Contest
Three tiers, one Republic. Entries open September 17, Constitution Day, and close April 30. Winners announced by the end of May, so the money is in hand for summer.
Official contest rules publish here before entries open September 17.
76 Cups
Sit down with somebody you fell out with. Order it here, not to go. The barista is the witness.
The Founders buy the first 76 cups
Free entry path always available. No purchase, no essay, no catch.
The Student Essay
Students: an essay or an editorial that argues instead of shouts. What we print publishes as a Broadside under your own byline.
$250 for the best student essay
The Teacher Grant
Teachers: the most creative, most effective lesson using the site, awarded at the end of the school year so the winner spends it over the summer.
$1,776 for the most effective lesson
THE RULES, PLAINLY
Judged by the Spirits
The Spirits judge, at the end of the school year. The same person may win both the essay and the grant; we chose encouraging participation over policing overlap. The student essay tier is for students; grown writers have a standing invitation to write for the paper, no cash attached, and the letters column is always open. Everything printed is held to the Printer's Standard.
What you send, exactly. THE ESSAY: 500 to 1,776 words, an essay or an editorial that argues instead of shouts. Write to the standing question, What is worth saving in this Republic, and what will you do about it, or bring your own question and answer it. Paste the text into the form below or drop a link to a readable document. Students means enrolled students, middle school through college; entrants under 18 include a parent or guardian's email alongside their own. THE LESSON: the lesson itself, one file or one link, plus a few lines on how it ran in your classroom. Creativity and effectiveness are the whole rubric; evidence that students engaged beats polish. One entry per person per tier. Winners keep their copyright; what we print, we print under your byline.
What we do with an entrant's information, and with a parent or guardian's, is set out plainly in our privacy policy.
ENTER
One form, three tiers
Received, and read by living eyes shortly. The Spirits thank you.
The post rider stumbled, and nothing was lost on your side. Send it straight to founders@76spirits.com, where a living hand answers, or try the form again shortly.
THE SECOND FRAME
Reconstitute a Spirit
The standing open call, outside the contest, no cash and no deadline: make the case for the voice the Republic is missing, and if the Spirits agree, the roster grows by one.