As the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania prepares to celebrate its 300th anniversary, students across the state are invited to participate in the historic occasion by participating in an essay and coloring contest.

Both contests are free and open to Pennsylvania students, including those in public, private, charter, cyber-charter, or home school. The deadline for entries is Friday, May 6.

The coloring contest is open to students ages 5 to 11 and will give young students the opportunity to create their own judge. After printing the cartoon judge cutouts, students can choose which judge they want to color and design using their creativity as their guide.

The essay contest is open to all students in grades three through 12, with essays being judged on creativity, overall quality, and adherence to the questions. For grades three through five, the question is "Why is the Pennsylvania Supreme Court important?" For grades six through 12, the question is "Which Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice inspires you and why?"

Students and parents are encouraged to submit photo entries on Twitter by tagging @PACourts and using #Supreme300 or by mail following the instructions outlined below.

To submit an essay entry or to learn where to mail it, email communicationsoffice@pacourts.us.

Entries in both contests will be judged by Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices, along with members of the Supreme Court 300th Celebration Committee. Winners will be announced and recognized by the court during its 300th anniversary celebration in May.

To access information about the coloring contest, visit https://bit.ly/PAcourtscoloringcontest. For details on the essay contest, visit https://bit.ly/PAcourtsessaycontest. For information about the history of the court, committee members, and upcoming commemorative events, visit http://www.pacourts.us/learn/history/celebrating-300-years.