Constitution Day is celebrated in the United States on Friday, September 17, 2021, and Manatee County high school seniors are celebrating the 234th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution by submitting an essay on “What the Constitution Means to Me”. The Constitution essay contest is a project led by Dr. Robin Thompson and the Manatee School District’s Curriculum Department. Manatee County's traditional high school students submitted essays and a committee of community members serving as judges selected the top five essays. The winners, along with a parent and their social studies teacher, will attend a special reception on Monday, September 13, 2021, at Pier 22 Restaurant in Bradenton. 

The Community Constitution Judging Committee includes: Tarnisha Cliatt, President of Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce; Kathy Doddridge, Regent, Manatee Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution; Gregory Hagopian, Esq., Gallagher & Hagopian, Attorneys; and Brian A. Iten, Esq., Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.