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The upcoming presidential inauguration offers schools and students an apt occasion to reflect on citizenship, the presidency, the nation's past, and our collective future. Here's a sampling of current initiatives to promote this kind of reflection:

The Presidential Inauguration Committee is sponsoring an essay contest for Washington, DC school students. They're asking students to answer the following question: "how can I contribute to my neighborhood through community service?" The winners will get plum seats near the inauguration platform. The deadline for essay submissions is January 11th.

Another initiative is challenging Americans to write an inauguration address--or rather, the the essence of an address boiled down into six words. SMITH Magazine and the National Constitution Center have teamed up to sponsor this competition. They have even created a lesson plan teachers can use to guide their students' responses to the challenge. The lesson plan includes some pithy and stirring six-word phrases from inaugurations past.

As if that weren't enough, the National Writing Project has teamed up with Google to sponsor "Letters to the Next President," a program encouraging "middle and high school students from across the country ... to write about the issues and concerns they want our next president to address." With guidance from the NWP, teachers can help students compose these letters and publish them online.

In the two weeks leading up to the inauguration, Public School Insights will share initiatives and resources to help schools, families, and students make use of this historic occasion. Is your organization, district, school, or class using the inauguration as "a teachable moment"? If so, let us know in the comments section!