Contestants shall be in their junior or senior grade
of study during the contest year. The contest is
conducted in three phases: local (Chapter), state
(State Society) and National. The contest must be
entered through a Chapter of the Sons of the
American Revolution near the student's residence.

The contest is for an original researched and proven
topic written in English. The topic of the essay shall
deal with: an event, person, philosophy, or ideal
associated with the American Revolution, the
Declaration of Independence, or the framing
of the United States Constitution.