America 250 | CA 175 

California state courts will leverage both commemorations to strengthen court outreach and deepen the public's understanding of the judiciary's work.  

The Power of Democracy's America250 Challenge

By the end of 2026, students throughout California will have a better understanding of their government, with an even better understanding of the judicial branch. With the America250 Challenge, judges and courts are stepping up by stepping out to classrooms in their communities!

 

Courts and local schools will have access to a menu of activities, ranging from classroom visits to creative competitions, including:
 

• The 250-Student Challenge: a court commits to visiting 250 students in their county or district. Many courts complete the Challenge with just one visit!  To schedule your visit from
   

• "250 Words for Liberty" Oratory Contest: A district-wide competition. Students prepare a 250-word reflection on write, read (or memorize), and record their reflection on our state and country's foundational governing documents, our constitutions.

• Instructions will be posted here in July. Teachers may bring this to their classrooms when school begins. 

• Honorees from each district will be celebrated and promoted on the Power of Democracy website.
  ​Note:

  • A 250-word essay is typically half a page when single-spaced or one full page when double-spaced using standard formatting (12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins). It usually consists of 3–4 concise paragraphs, each containing 50–100 words. This length allows for a focused argument or narrative with clear development of ideas without excessive detail.​
     

• Steps to Justice: the court commits to hosting at least 250 students for courthouse visits. Activities may include reenactment of a court case, a court tour with Q&A with a judge, and the opportunity to reenact a case in an actual courtroom.  

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