What is Celebrate Freedom Week?
Celebrate Freedom Week is a statewide observance that promotes civic understanding and constitutional literacy among Louisiana students. Held annually in September to coincide with Constitution Day and Constitution Week, the week ensures students receive age-appropriate instruction on the founding principles of the United States.
Throughout the week, schools provide lessons on the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other foundational documents. These activities help students not only understand the rights they enjoy as Americans, but also the responsibilities they carry as engaged citizens.
Celebrate Freedom Week 2025 | September 15-19, 2025
Louisiana Department of Education partners with Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute
To honor America’s 250th anniversary and Celebrate Freedom Week, the Louisiana Department of Education and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute have launched a statewide student oratory competition. Two student winners will advance to the national finals at the Reagan Presidential Library in California.
Louisiana Division of the Ronald Reagan Oratory Competition
This special Louisiana division of the national Ronald Reagan Oratory Competition invites students in grades K–12 to reflect on the theme of freedom and President Reagan’s legacy. Finalists will be selected to compete in a state-level event during Celebrate Freedom Week, and the middle and high school winners will earn a trip to the national competition at the Reagan Presidential Library.
Students across Louisiana will engage with a selected radio address by President Reagan, focusing on the enduring importance of freedom. Competition resources, guidance, and submission tools are available online by division. Submissions are due by September 1.
How Students and Educators Can Participate
The access links below include information about student submissions as well as lessons and resources for educators.
- Grades 9–12: Students will recite the full radio address, and will be judged on clarity, delivery, and interpretation.
- Grades 6–8: Students will recite a selected excerpt of the radio address, and will be judged on clarity, delivery, and interpretation.
- Grades 3–5: Students will recite a brief excerpt with expression, illustrate its meaning through an original drawing, and explain how their artwork reflects their understanding of freedom.
- Grades K–2: Students will study a quote from President Reagan, create a drawing that illustrates what freedom means to them, and explain how their artwork reflects their understanding.
School and System Resources
To support instruction during Celebrate Freedom Week, the Louisiana Department of Education provides the following guidance and instructional resources.
About Act 370
Passed during the 2022 Regular Legislative Session, Act 370 (R.S. 17:2119) mandates that all public schools in Louisiana observe Celebrate Freedom Week each September. During this observance, schools must provide age- and grade-appropriate instruction on the founding principles of the United States. Topics may include the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Classroom Resources
Resources below support K–12 instruction across a range of civics topics. Materials are curated from trusted institutions such as the National Constitution Center and the Library of Congress.
Founding Documents and Civic Dialogue
- Civic Dialogue – Classroom resources for civil discourse
- The Constitutional Convention – Teaching the debates and compromises
- Constitution Day Resources (Library of Congress)
- The Constitution Annotated – Primary sources, commentary, lesson plans
- Constitution 101 Curriculum – High school lesson plans
- The Declaration of Independence: Created Equal? (HS)
- Continuity and Change in U.S. Governance (HS)
- Counter Revolution or National Salvation? (HS)
- George Washington: First in War, First in Peace… (HS)
Branches of Government
Federalism and Separation of Powers
Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments
- Article V: Amendment Process – Classroom resources
- Bill of Rights – Elementary lesson plan
- Debating the Amendments – High school lesson plans
- First Amendment Overview – Middle and high school
- Freedom of Assembly and Petition – MS/HS
- Freedom of the Press – MS/HS
- Fourth Amendment – MS/HS
- Eighth Amendment – MS/HS
- 14th Amendment – All grade levels
- Constitution Hall Pass: Bill of Rights – Educational video
Rule of Law and Civil Rights
- Rule of Law – Grades 9–12 lesson plan
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Legacy of Service – Constitution Hall Pass video
- Rosa Parks – Primary sources and teacher’s guide
- Women’s Suffrage: Their Rights and Nothing Less – Lesson plans and sources
- Jim Crow and Segregation – Historical documents and instruction
Symbols of the United States
Celebrate Freedom Week 2024
Honoring Future Servicemembers
On September 17, the Louisiana Department of Education partnered with The National WWII Museum to recognize high school and college students from the New Orleans area who have committed to serve in the United States military.
Hosted on Constitution Day, the ceremony featured:
- Presentation of the Governor’s Proclamation
- Challenge coins and pocket Constitutions gifted by State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley
- The Oath of Enlistment, led by CPT Matt Gimenez, U.S. Army
- Remarks from Col. Peter Crean (WWII Museum), Ken Bradford (LDOE), and BESE member Conrad Appel
View photos from the even in the gallery below.
Celebrate Freedom Week 2023
Teaching a Living Civics Lesson
During Celebrate Freedom Week 2023, Louisiana State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley returned to the classroom to lead high school civics lessons in Rapides and St. Tammany Parishes. The weeklong observance highlighted the enduring relevance of America’s founding principles and the role of civic education in shaping informed, responsible citizens.
In Rapides Parish, Dr. Brumley visited Alexandria Senior High, where he led a student lesson on the three branches of government and the structure of the U.S. Constitution. He emphasized the Constitution as a living document and challenged students to think critically about their role in American democracy.
In St. Tammany Parish, Dr. Brumley taught a civics class at Mandeville High School, joined by local legislators and judges to deliver a “living civics” experience.
View photos in the gallery below.
