Students in grades 3 through 12 across the country have until March 30 to enter a contest inviting them to reflect on what America means to them, with top winners earning behind-the-scenes trips to some of the nation’s most iconic sites this summer.
America’s Field Trip, sponsored by America250, the official nonpartisan organization planning the nation’s Semiquincentennial, asks entrants to respond to the prompt: “What does America mean to you?” Submissions can be original artwork — including photos of physical pieces or digital drawings — or written responses. Each student must enter individually.
A total of 250 students will be selected. 125 first-place awardees and their chaperone will receive a three-day, two-night all-expenses-paid trip in July or August 2026 to one of 16 historic or cultural locations. Options include a private tour of the White House and National Archives vaults in Washington; a guided journey through Yellowstone National Park; a visit to the Kennedy Space Center with a retired astronaut; or experiences at Mount Rushmore and the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, among others.
More information about each field trip experience can be found on the website.
The 125 second-place winners will each receive a $500 cash prize. In addition, the teacher associated with the top-scoring entry in each grade category will receive $1,000.
Judges — current and former educators — will score entries on student voice (50%), clarity of idea (25%), and presentation (25%). Winners will be notified in late April.
The contest is open to legal residents of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. Students who won first or second place in the previous two America’s Field Trip contests are ineligible. Parents, legal guardians, or teachers may submit entries on behalf of students under 18 with written permission.
The contest closes at 3 p.m. CT on March 30. Contest rules can be found here, and contest entries may be submitted on the portal found here.
