Students in grades 3-12 can enter to win a field trip experience to some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.
America’s Field Trip is a nationwide contest that invites students across the country to be part of the nation’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on the country. Students are asked to submit writing or original artwork in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?” Deadline for submission is March 30.
A total of 250 students nationwide will be awarded a special behind-the-scenes field trip experience this summer or a cash prize. Each of the 125 first-place awardees and their chaperone will receive airfare and lodging for a three-day, two-night trip at select historical or cultural sites.
The prize field trips include:
Private guided tour and meet a retired astronaut at Kennedy Space Center in Florida
Exclusive visits to two iconic Washington, DC, institutions: a special tour of the White House and a trip inside the vault of the National Archives on the National Mall
Storytelling, history, and commemoration under the stars at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, and an adventure through the Badlands of North Dakota exploring the presidential legacy of Theodore Roosevelt
Exclusive guided journey through Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Wyoming*
Exclusive visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, walking tour of historic Lower Manhattan, and a performance of HAMILTON in New York City
Immersive Revolutionary War experience at the American Village and a special guided tour of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Alabama
A total of 125 second-place awardees will receive a $500 cash award. The teacher associated with the top scoring student submission in each grade level category will receive a $1,000 cash award.
Visit the America’s Field Trip website for more information and to make a submission.
This story is part of an ongoing series of coverage of the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
© 2026 Twin Creek Times