The following was written by Julia Schell, a sophomore at Whitehall High School, as part of the annual student essay competition run by the Can We Talk? student dialogue initiative. Can We Talk? is a program of the Committee of Seventy, Pennsylvania’s oldest and largest good government/civic education nonprofit.

The students responded to the following prompt: “In this anniversary year, how well do you think the American people and their government are doing at upholding equality, human rights and ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’? Whether you think the picture is positive, negative or mixed, please provide a few examples to support your judgment.”

This essay was awarded honorable mention, and the author received $100 as a prize.

BY JULIA SCHELL

Two hundred and fifty years later, America has grown closer to its principles of liberty and equality, but it still struggles to turn those ideals into reality for everyone. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are what were assured to every American in 1776, expressing what equality and freedom truly meant.

In 2026, we celebrate our 250th anniversary of gaining our independence and reflecting on how our nation has made significant progress in extending democracy and opportunity. Despite these developments of advancing our nation further, there still lie issues of inequality and injustice to the people of this country.

Understanding this history of both achievement and challenge explains why the journey toward true liberty and equality carries on, and why it is essential to scrutinize how far we’ve come and how far we must go to guarantee these realities for those who call this country home.

Over the past 250 years, America has made notable progress in turning its founding ideals into actuality. One major area of accomplishment is the expansion of voting rights. Since 1776, only white men who owned property could vote. Since then, the nation has extended that voice to include women, African Americans and other minority groups, giving more citizens a vote in the democratic process.

Another key achievement is civil rights progress, especially during the 20th century, including laws and movements that actively fought against segregation and discrimination. Promoting greater equality in ways like this improved education and representation, opening doors for more Americans to pursue higher education and participate in government.

Altogether, these advances demonstrate how America has worked to expand rights and opportunities, though the work of achieving justice is an ongoing process.

While most focus on the milestones this country has fulfilled, some forget the hardships that remain and the reasons to feel mixed about how the nation’s ideals have been realized, even now. One major thing that continues to divide this country is political indifference. Americans have become very divided due to politics, and these disagreements have made it harder for this country to find a common ground, work toward being united and pledge equality for all in America.

The separation of our country has completely forgotten the original purpose of our founding ideals and the unity that our early American leaders wanted for this nation. This division underscores that, despite all we’ve accomplished, America’s principles are still a work in progress. As a result, the country struggles to translate its foundational principles into reality for all Americans.

In 2026, America stands 250 years from its founding, a nation of promise and imperfection. Although progress shines in expanded rights, education and opportunity, divisions and inequality remind us that the true “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” remains a journey.

The work of this nation is ongoing and unfinished; it is now our duty to shape its story with fairness, courage and care for all Americans.