Pat Ryan launches America 250 essay contest for Hudson Valley students

Pat Ryan opened an America 250 essay contest for Hudson Valley high school students in New York’s 18th Congressional District, giving teenagers a chance to turn a short civics essay into a trip to Washington. The contest runs from July 4 through Aug. 31, and students in grades 9 through 12 must submit a 300- to 500-word essay in response to one of five prompts.

Those prompts ask students to write about American history, constitutional democracy, the meaning of America, the role of their generation or an American Founder they admire. The winner will receive a Capitol tour and a meeting with Ryan in Washington, while every participant will be recognized with Congressional Certificates. Ryan’s office posted the contest announcement July 2, and his district offices are in Newburgh, Kingston and Poughkeepsie.

July 4, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and Orange County will spend 2024 through 2033 commemorating Revolutionary-era milestones, not just the anniversary this year.

Orange County played a central role in the American Revolution as a destination for military personnel transporting supplies and guarding the Hudson River from attack. George Washington established his longest residency during the Revolutionary War in Newburgh, where Washington’s Headquarters later became the first Registered National Historic Landmark in the United States in 1850.

The Battle of Minisink on July 22, 1779, and the Minisink Monument in Goshen honor local militiamen who died in the skirmish. Ryan said the Hudson Valley’s history of patriotism and service made him eager to see what young participants produce.