Students For Liberty is currently accepting applications for $100 Constitution Day Activism Grants to help you bring conversations about the Constitution to your campus this Constitution Day! This week and next, we’ll be sharing ideas for creative events and activism centered around the Constitution. 

It’s a classic campus game. And now, pong can help you highlight the Bill of Rights during next Thursday’s Constitution Day festivities! With just a week left to prepare, it can seem like a pretty tall order to pull off a fun and informative Constitution-themed event, but sometimes the most successful activities are the simplest. A civil-liberties centered game of pong is just one example of how, with a little creativity, you can bring conversations about the Constitution to campus using things that most students already have on hand.

As you’ll see, there are plenty of ways to approach this, from setting up a table on your quad to help drive recruitment, to making a tournament-style competition out of it. As long as you get students engaged in the game, you’ll at least get them thinking about their rights. Here are some quick instructions on how to set up a game:

You will need:

1. 20 Red Solo Cups
2. A table (other than the one being used for all your liberty swag)
3. Black permanent marker
4. Water (for the cups, unless you don’t want to use liquid)
5. Many pong balls (you will have casualties throughout your tabling session)
6. Prizes (preferably Constitutions since it is Constitution Day, but be creative if you don’t have access to pocket Constitutions)
7. Club flyers!

Once you’ve gathered these items, here’s how to set up and run the event:

1. Set up 10 cup pong (see diagram below)
2. Use black marker to number each cup 1-10. Each number will correspond to an amendment in the Bill of Rights.
3. Engage students and get creative with your stipulations for the game. For instance, you could challenge them to see who makes one in first. If they make it first they quiz you on the Constitution. If you make it first, then you quiz them. Another idea is to only count cups if players can name the corresponding amendment.
4. Regardless of the outcome of the game, the student you engage should walk away with a prize and your club’s flyer.

And pong isn’t the only game that can be adapted to focus on the Bill of Rights! Think about the games that are popular on your campus and whether they can be tied into some Constitutional trivia, or otherwise centered around the importance of civil liberties. Regardless of the route you take, be sure to apply for a Constitution Day grant to receive $100 towards supplies, food, or anything else you need to make your event a success!

.