Erin Grant
Staff Writer
Each year on Sept. 17, people from across the country come together to celebrate our founding document. At FSC, the day has even more significance. The Florida Southern College Constitution Day celebration, a rite of passage for all first-year political science students, is a campus-wide tradition that will endure for years to come.
Constitution Day is a nationwide holiday meant to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. Since its creation as a federal holiday in 2004, schools and communities similar to FSC have been celebrating the holiday in various ways. First-year political science students at FSC have two weeks to plan a campus-wide event that includes food, entertainment and time for civic learning.
This year’s first-year students held their event in the lobby of Joseph Reynolds Hall on Sept. 17, 2024. The event opened with a rendition of the national anthem by first-year political science student Erin Grant, followed by an impassioned speech from President Martin.
In addition to President Martin, there were speeches delivered by prominent members of the political science community: former Chief Justice R. Fred Lewis and Tom Philips, the General Manager of the Citrus Connection in Lakeland. They discussed the importance of the Constitution and encouraged the audience to be active citizens.
Following the speakers, guests were able to participate in various games and activities. One of the most engaging activities of the event was a poll created by the first-year students to gauge the audience’s favorite amendment to the Constitution. Students were also able to participate in conversations with each other and the event concluded with a very patriotic lunch of chips and burgers.
While the 2024 Constitution Day celebration was a hit, the purpose of this holiday far transcends these students.
“[The Constitution] affects our lives in every way,” Lewis said.
During a recent interview, Justice Lewis emphasized the importance of Constitution Day. He warned that in such a fast-paced world, if Americans don’t actively celebrate the Constitution, they’ll “shove it off to the side.” This could lead to a diminished appreciation of the very document that protects the American way of life.
Justice Lewis compares the United States Constitution to a garden, explaining that the document needs nurturing to function.
“If we go out and we work at it and we fertilize and care for it,” Lewis said. “Then it will bear a lot of fruit.”
Much like a garden needs work to thrive, so does the Constitution. According to Lewis, the best way to celebrate the Constitution is to learn about it, vote, and participate, because running the country is “not a spectator sport. It is absolutely a participating endeavor.”
Beyond the excitement of the event, the true importance of Constitution Day is the reminder that the Constitution is a living document, the values of which live inside every American.
Justice Lewis’ call to action serves as a powerful reminder that, much like tending to a garden, one should actively nurture and protect the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
