In 2026, the United States will mark our Semiquincentennial: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Today’s young people are the leaders, innovators, and thinkers who will shape the next 250 years — and it’s important their voices are heard as we commemorate this historic milestone.
America’s Field Trip is a new contest that invites students across the country in grades 3–12 to be part of America’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them — and earning the opportunity to participate in unforgettable field trip experiences at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.
Students may submit artwork, videos, or essays in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?”
THE FIELD TRIPS
Twenty-five first-place awardees from each grade level category will receive free travel and lodging for a 3-day, 2-night trip to a select historical or cultural site where they will experience one of the following:
- Tour of the Statue of Liberty in New York
- Tour and hike at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana
- Weekend at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado
- Unique tours at the National Archives or the Library of Congress in Washington, DC
- Special tours at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, or the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC
- Explore America’s iconic financial capital, New York City, with private tours of Federal Reserve Bank of New York Museum and Learning Center and The Bank of New York Mellon, the country’s oldest bank
- Experience National Parks of Boston with a special visit to the USS Constitution and a sunset cruise to Spectacle Island
- Candlelight tour at Fort Point at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge
- Costumed roleplaying experience at American Village in Alabama
Second-place awardees will receive a $500 cash award. The teacher associated with the top scoring student submissions in each grade level category will receive a $1,000 cash award.
Visit America’s 250th Website to learn more and enter the contest!