U.S. Department of Education Selects Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum to Host Regional Semifinal of the Presidential 1776 Award
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (March 4, 2026) — Today, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) announced the locations and date of the five regional semifinal competitions for the Presidential 1776 Award, a nationwide civics competition recognizing exceptional student knowledge of the American founding.
The five regional semifinal competitions will be held simultaneously on May 2, 2026, at the following presidential sites:
● Region 1: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum – Boston, Massachusetts
● Region 2: Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum – Atlanta, Georgia
● Region 3: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum – Grand Rapids, Michigan
● Region 4: George W. Bush Presidential Center – Dallas, Texas
● Region 5: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum – Yorba Linda, California
The semifinals are hosted in partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which preserves the records that tell America’s story.
“America's presidential libraries and centers all across the country are natural venue partners to host the Presidential 1776 Award competition, as each center plays an important role in celebrating the Semiquincentennial in its state and community,” said Jim Byron, Senior Advisor to the Archivist of the United States, performing the duties of the Archivist. “The National Archives is pleased to support these astute and enterprising students who are putting their civics knowledge into action.”
“The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is honored to host the regional semifinals of the 1776 Award competition,” said Gleaves Whitney, Executive Director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. “President Ford believed deeply in civic education and informed citizenship. Welcoming students into this space, where they can engage with our nation’s history and reflect on the responsibilities of self-government, is both a privilege and a natural extension of that legacy.”
More than 7,000 high school students from all 50 states and territories signed up to compete in the qualifying round of the Presidential 1776 Award, the Impossible Civics Test. With this qualifying round completed, the nationwide competition is officially underway.
Regional semifinalists will receive a modest stipend to help defray attendance costs when they check in for their regional competition on May 2, 2026
About the Presidential 1776 Award
Presidential 1776 Award is a nationwide competition recognizing exceptional student knowledge of the American founding. This award program establishes a national scholarship contest that evaluates students’ civic understanding and the principles that shaped the United States.
The Presidential 1776 Award competition unfolds in three distinct stages designed to identify and celebrate high school students’ knowledge of America’s founding:
● In Round One, held during the week of February 22 to 28, 2026, students competed in The Impossible Civics Test, an online, timed, electronically proctored multiple choice exam. This served as the qualifying round, and four finalists from each state will be selected.
● In Round Two, on May 2, 2026, the state finalists will compete in one of five in person regional semifinal competitions. During these verbal competitions, students answer short answer questions that test their understanding of the Constitution, the American founding, and key moments in our nation’s history. The top four students from each region move on to the National Final.
● Round Three, the National Final, will take place in Washington, D.C. in June 2026. Students will answer short answer verbal questions and will be awarded a point for each correct answer. The top three winners receive scholarships of up to $150,000.
Background
The Presidential 1776 Award is one of the Department's initiatives to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday. The Department has also separately launched the History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour, in partnership with Freedom 250 and coordinated with the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, a national partnership with 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.