Montgomery County Community College accepting submissions for 250th U.S. Anniversary contest

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, Montgomery County Community College is holding a yearlong celebration during the 2025–2026 academic year featuring a vibrant series of events, activities, and reflections that connect our past to our present and future.

These events are sponsored by the Division of Liberal Arts in partnership with the Erb Charitable Fund and Montco's Student Government Association.

There are currently two contests open to ALL students:

Declarations of Independence Writing & Reels

The Declarations of Independence Writing & Reels contest welcomes written and video contributions from all Montco students reflecting on their personal declarations of independence, highlighting moments of growth, challenge, and/or personal transformation. Submissions that incorporate some of the themes or ideas of the original Declaration of Independence will be given special consideration during the judging.

Written submissions should not exceed 1,320 words (the length of the Declaration of Independence), and they can take any form, including fiction, non-fiction or poetry.  Video submissions should not exceed five minutes in length.

250th Writing & Reels Contest: Fill out form

All materials should be submitted electronically. Written submissions should be uploaded as Word documents or pdf files, and videos should be uploaded as .mp4 files.

Winners and runners-up will be invited to read or screen their works (or portions of them) at an event in the spring.

This event is sponsored by the Division of Liberal Arts in collaboration with the Student Government Association.  Awards of $250 dollars will be given to the top selections in writing and in videography.  Two runners-up in each area will receive $50.

Deadline for submissions: Feb. 1, 2026  

Mural Design

For this contest, all Montco students are invited to submit a colorful mural design that reflects the theme of “From the Many, One.”

The winning design will be painted (color by number style) by the entire Montco community during paint-in events held in conjunction with Student Government Association elections (e.g., “Paint with a Candidate”) and then assembled for the community at an event in the spring.

250th E Pluribus Unum (From the Many, One) Mural Contest – Fill out form

This shared project celebrates the many voices that make up our diverse Montco community and emphasizes the importance of the arts to bring people together.

This event is sponsored by the Division of Liberal Arts in collaboration with the Student Government Association. An award of $250 dollars will be given to the designer of the winning mural.

Deadline for submissions: Feb. 1, 2026  

For more information, click here.