RALEIGH — America 250 has launched “America’s Field Trip,” a nationwide contest inviting students in grades 3-12 to participate in commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Students who apply are asked to submit original writing, artwork or a high-resolution photo in response to the question “What does America mean to you?” The contest will select 250 students to receive awards for either a behind-the-scenes field trip experience or a cash prize. The contest will end at 8 p.m. on Mar. 30.
The contest will offer 125 first-place awards, each including airfare and lodging for a three-day, two-night trip for the student and one chaperone to various historical and cultural sites across the country.
Destinations include the National Medal of Honor Museum and George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas; Kennedy Space Center in Florida; the White House and National Archives in Washington, D.C.; Mount Rushmore in South Dakota; Yellowstone National Park; Revolutionary War landmarks in Boston; and a visit to the 9/11 Memorial with a performance of “Hamilton” in New York City, among other locations.
An additional 125 second-place winners will receive $500 cash awards. Teachers associated with the top-scoring submission in each grade level will receive $1,000.
According to the contest rules, entries must be submitted by parents, legal guardians or teachers on behalf of students, as minors are not permitted to enter directly.
Submissions made in essay form have varying length requirements depending on the grade level. Elementary students may submit an essay of up to 100 words, middle school students may submit an essay of up to 250 words and high school students may enter an essay of up to 500 words.
All entries must be original work created without AI tools and cannot include personal information, copyrighted materials or identifiable images of others. Submissions also need to be made by an individual and not a group.
A panel of current and former educators will judge entries on a weighted scale based on student voice (50%), clarity of idea (25%) and presentation (25%).
For more information and rules for entering the contest, visit america250.org/fieldtrip.
