EASTON, MD – The Mid-Shore Constitution Alliance is honored to announce the winner of the 2026 Constitution Bowl for area high schools.  On September 19, Saints Peter & Paul High School team was crowned champion of the 2026 Mid-Shore Constitution Bowl after a spirited championship-round competition with the Gunston School team (photo 1).  The 2026 Constitution Bowl included two rounds (September 12 and September 19) at the Talbot County Free Library, followed by the championship round between the winners of the qualifying rounds.  The event was a fast-paced, engaging academic competition designed to inspire a love for civics and history.  Seven area high schools competed in the Jeopardy-style rounds with challenging questions on the history and knowledge of the U.S. Constitution (photo 2). Organizers and several audience supporters expressed how impressed they were with the level of preparation and knowledge among student participants. Participating high schools included Colonel Richardson High School, Easton High School, The Gunston School, North Caroline High School, North Dorchester High School, St. Michael’s High School, and Saints Peter and Paul High School. Each school fielded four-person teams.

Each member of the winning Saints Peter & Paul team was awarded a $1000 scholarship from the MidShore Constitution Alliance, a fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation.  Each member of the second-place Gunston team was awarded a $500 scholarship. Easton High School and Saint Michael’s High School tied for third place. Members of the Saints Peter & Paul championship team included Will Coughlan, Tara Foley, Hayes Murphy, and Jaxson Usilton (Photo 1).

Pete Lescher of the Talbot County Council, Mike Detmer of the Dorchester County Council, and Don Abbatiello of the Easton Town Council helped kick off the competitions and remarked how the event helped students develop critical thinking skills, teamwork, a deeper appreciation for the U.S. Constitution, and the importance of civic engagement (Photo 3). Richard Holman, Board Chair of the Mid-Shore Constitution Alliance, noted how the competition promotes a primary goal of the Constitution Alliance by helping inspire our next generation of civic leaders as they approach their future education and careers.

In addition to the competition, banners of the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were available for signing by participants and the public during the week to commemorate America 250/Maryland 250 and National Constitution & Citizenship Week.

We would like to thank our key anchor sponsors and scholarship sponsors for enabling these events and programs, including VFW Easton Post 5118, Burke and Hebert Bank Foundation, Cambridge (Dorchester) American Legion Post 91, Shore United Bank, and donations from several individual scholarship sponsors.  The MidShore Constitution Alliance is able to make this an annual event on the Eastern Shore through the support of our sponsors and donors.  We would also like to express our gratitude to the Talbot County Free Library for hosting this key event of the Eastern Shore’s celebration of National Constitution and Citizenship Week.

In addition to its educational programming and community events, the Constitution Alliance Fund is honored to award annual $1,000 scholarships to deserving Mid-Shore students whose educational and career aspirations reflect a commitment to the principles of the United States Constitution – whether through professions that require an oath to uphold it or through fields in which constitutional knowledge and civic understanding are fundamental.  The scholarships are awarded through the Mid-Shore Community Foundation; applications open October 1 and close February 1 at www.mscf.org.  For more scholarship information contact Michelle Ewing, Director of the MidShore Constitution Alliance, at CA.AdvisoryBoard@midshoreca.org

The Mid-Shore Constitution Alliance, in partnership with the Washington College Institute for Religion, Politics & Culture, works to promote civic engagement through education and a commitment to uphold constitutional values and the founding principles of freedom.  To donate or for more information, please visit our website at www.midshoreca.org