250 Students Win the Field Trip of a Lifetime for Answering One Question: What Does America Mean to You?

Ask a child what their country means to them, and you may be surprised by the answer. This summer, 250 students from across the country are getting once-in-a-lifetime trips — to places like Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, and the National Archives — for doing exactly that. Their reflections are a reminder that the next generation is already thinking hard about the nation they're inheriting.

The awards come from America's Field Trip, a nationwide student contest run by America250, the nonpartisan organization Congress charged with leading the country's 250th anniversary. Announced on June 3, 2026, the program recognized 250 students for original writing or artwork responding to the prompt "What does America mean to you?" The 2026 class — the largest yet — represents 46 states and U.S. territories.

The contest is open to students in grades 3 through 12, who are invited to share their perspectives on the country's history, promise, complexity, and future. This year alone drew more than 10,000 submissions, part of more than 20,000 entries since the program's 2024 pilot. A panel of current and former educators selected the honorees.

What Each Field Trip Includes

Half of this year's honorees — 125 first-place awardees, split fairly evenly across elementary, middle, and high school — will travel to one of 16 field trip experiences at iconic American landmarks between July 10 and August 16, 2026. The other 125 second-place awardees each receive a $500 cash award and America250 gear.

The destinations span 12 states and Washington, D.C., and include a mix of new experiences and returning favorites. Among them: a journey through Yellowstone National Park, a storytelling night under the stars at Mount Rushmore, a Smithsonian sleepover at the National Museum of American History, a tour of the White House paired with a look inside the vault at the National Archives, a meet-and-greet with a retired astronaut at Kennedy Space Center, and a performance of Hamilton in New York City.

"America's Field Trip gives students a national platform to reflect on our country in their own words, through their own creativity and from the communities they call home," said Rosie Rios, Chair of America250. "As we prepare to commemorate our nation's 250th anniversary, these students remind us that America's story is something each generation helps shape. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and give first-place awardees the chance to experience the people, places and ideas that have helped define our country."

How America's Field Trip Has Grown

With this year's class, America250 will have recognized 550 young people through America's Field Trip over three contest years, including 275 first-place winners who received trips and 275 second-place winners who received cash prizes. Across those years, entrants have come from all 50 states, five U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

Even families who never submit an entry can borrow the idea. Sitting down with a child to answer "What does America mean to you?" — in a drawing, a short paragraph, or just a conversation at dinner — gives kids a chance to put words to something they rarely get asked about directly. The exercise invites them to weigh both what they admire about the country and what they hope it can become, building the habit of thinking about citizenship as something they have a stake in rather than something that happens to them. There's no prize required for that to matter; the reflection itself is the point, and it's a simple way to turn a national milestone into a personal one at home.

Families curious about the winning entries — or interested in future contests — can see the full list of awardees and a selection of submissions at america250.org/fieldtrip/awardees.