America’s 250th anniversary just became every teacher’s favorite professional development opportunity.
While most educators see historical milestones as extra-curricular pressure, smart teachers recognize America’s Field Trip contest for what it is. A classroom-ready resource that pays $1,000 cash awards to teachers whose students win.
The numbers tell the story.
The 2025 contest attracted thousands of submissions from all 50 states, 5 U.S. territories, and Washington D.C. A panel of current and former educators selected 150 awardees from 41 states and 4 territories.
Those winning students received fully-funded 3-day trips to historic sites. Walking tours of Lower Manhattan with Hamilton performances. Revolutionary War sites in Boston. Private tours of the Old North Church and Paul Revere House.
Their teachers received cash.
The Assignment That Writes Itself
The contest prompt eliminates lesson planning headaches. Students in grades 3-12 respond to “What does America mean to you?” through writing or artwork.
That’s it.
No complex rubrics. No specialized materials. No technology requirements that half your students can’t access at home.
The beauty lies in its simplicity. Third-graders can draw flag-themed artwork while high schoolers craft analytical essays about democratic principles. Same prompt, differentiated naturally by developmental stage.
America250 partnered with Discovery Education to create custom educational programming and teacher resources. An instructional video helps educators align the contest prompt with the standards frameworks.
Translation: Your principal sees the alignment with standards. Your students see creative freedom. You see zero prep time.
Beyond the Contest
The anniversary creates a content goldmine that extends far beyond contest deadlines.
PBS launched the largest education outreach effort in its history for America250. K-12 educational programs populate PBS LearningMedia with support from The Kern Family Foundation.
Free. Standards-aligned. Ready to download.
State-level initiatives add regional flavor to national themes. Tennessee emphasizes agricultural heritage. Rhode Island highlights Revolutionary War significance. Montana develops virtual book clubs while Utah features celebrity-supported celebrations.
Each state approach creates authentic learning connections. Students explore local history within the national narrative. They discover how their community contributed to America’s story.
This localized approach solves a persistent classroom challenge. How do you make national history feel personally relevant to students whose families arrived generations after 1776?
The answer emerges through community connections.
Practical Implementation
Smart teachers layer anniversary resources throughout the academic year rather than cramming everything into July.
September launch: Students research their state’s role in American independence. What happened in your state during the Revolutionary War? How did your region contribute to nation-building?
October Development: Comparing Founding Principles to Modern Challenges. How do 1776 ideals apply to 2025 situations? What would the founders think about current debates?
November synthesis: Students create original responses to “What does America mean to you?” Some write. Others draw. A few compose songs or design infographics.
December submission: Contest entries submitted with zero last-minute stress because students spent months developing their ideas.
January reflection: Regardless of contest results, students possess a deeper understanding of American principles and their connection to national identity.
The process creates authentic assessment opportunities. Students demonstrate research skills, critical thinking, and creative expression within a single project framework.
The Bigger Picture
America’s 250th anniversary represents more than a teaching opportunity. It creates a moment for national reflection on foundational principles while encouraging dialogue about future direction.
Your classroom becomes part of that conversation.
When students explore what America means to them, they engage with civic education in its purest form. They move beyond memorizing dates and names toward understanding principles and values.
This engagement matters now more than ever. Civic knowledge among American students has declined for decades. The anniversary provides a natural hook for rebuilding that foundation.
A national time capsule containing items from all 50 states, 5 territories, and D.C. will be buried in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026. It opens on America’s 500th anniversary.
Your students’ work could influence what goes in that capsule.
Their essays, artwork, and creative responses represent their generation’s voice in America’s ongoing story. Future Americans will read their words and see their perspectives.
That’s the kind of authentic audience that transforms student engagement.
Ready-Made Resources
The anniversary momentum creates ready-made cross-curricular connections that strengthen any lesson plan.
English Language Arts: Students analyze founding documents, write persuasive essays, and create multimedia presentations. Grammar practice emerges naturally through editing contest submissions. For ready-to-use grammar worksheets that slot straight into contest prep, see TeachersInstruction.com’s Parts of Speech library
Social Studies: Revolutionary War research, constitutional principles, and civic engagement activities align with standard curriculum requirements while feeling fresh and relevant.
Art: Flag design, historical scene illustration, and symbolic representation projects give creative students multiple expression pathways.
Math: Population statistics, timeline calculations, and data analysis of historical trends integrate mathematical thinking with historical content.
Science: Innovations that shaped American development, from agricultural advances to space exploration, connect scientific progress to national identity.
Each subject area benefits from anniversary resources without requiring additional curriculum time. You’re teaching required content through an engaging, contemporary lens.
The anniversary ends in 2026, but the educational resources remain available indefinitely. Investment in these materials pays dividends for years.
America’s 250th anniversary presents teachers with a rare opportunity to align engaging content, available resources, and potential recognition. The contest deadline approaches, but the educational opportunity extends far beyond any single submission.
Your students deserve to participate in their nation’s milestone moment. You deserve the resources that make it possible.
Both are waiting for you to claim them.
FAQ — America’s Field Trip (America 250) 2025-26
| Question | Concise answer |
|---|---|
| Who can enter? | U.S. students in grades 3–12. A parent, legal guardian, or the student’s teacher must upload the entry on the student’s behalf. |
| What do students submit? | One original response to “What does America mean to you?”—either a written piece (essay, poem, etc.) or a high-resolution image of original artwork. No special tech or materials required. |
| What can you win? | Students: 25 first-place winners per grade level earn a 3-day, 2-night fully funded trip to an iconic U.S. landmark; 25 second-place winners receive $500 cash. Teachers: the teacher linked to the top entry in each grade level wins a $1,000 cash award. kentuckyteacher.org |
| When is the next submission window? | The 2024-25 contest closed on April 16, 2025. The next America’s Field Trip cycle opens in Fall 2025 (exact dates to be announced). Educators can join the America 250 mailing list for updates. |
| How do teachers submit entries? | Create or log in to a free account on the America 250 contest portal, complete the online form, and upload each student’s file (one entry per student). You’ll receive an email confirmation for every successful submission. |
