american and me essay contest

Americanism Essay Contest For Grades 7–12

FRA sponsors an annual essay contest to promote the spirit of Americanism and patriotism among our country’s youth. FRA's Americanism Essay Contest is open to all students, grades 7 through 12, including those who are home schooled.  Students are invited to submit a 350-word essay through an FRA member or local FRA branch before the December 1st deadline .  Local winners are forwarded for competition at the regional level and regional winners compete for national prizes.   The grand national winner receives $1,500.  Other winners receive $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place.  Each national winner will receive an attractive plaque citing his/her achievement, and every entrant judged at the national level receives a certificate of recognition. Prizes may be awarded to students winning at local and regional levels of competition.

Find a Sponsor: Find the branch closest to you in the drop down list and click "select" to see the address. This is where you will send your completed essay and cover sheet.

Please Read:

Download the flyer 2024-2025 from the link below (you can fill out the contact information on your computer before you print it!) and post it proudly wherever appropriate--high schools, on-base education offices, commissaries, exchanges, on-base community centers, etc.--to get the word out (you may need permission to post in some locations).

Essay Contest Poster  2024-2025 Essay Cover Sheet  2024-2025 Essay Rules  2024-2025 Congratulations to the 2023–2024 FRA Americanism Essay Contest Winners!

OVERALL WINNER : AMMARA SARWAR, Branch 214, NE/NENG Region

Grade 7 Winners 1 st place: Jasen Ajello                    Branch 226, Northeast New England Region   7th_Grade_1st_ Jasen Ajello 2 nd place: Makayla Marcel             Branch 101, West Cost Region 3 rd place: Izabella Wynn;               Branch 015, Southeast Region

Grade 8 Winners 1st Place: Adeline Maynes            Branch 097, Northwest Region   8th_Grade_1st_Adeline Mayness 2nd Place:  Genevieve Miranda     Branch 070, Southwest  Region  3rd Place: Victoria Senyo              Branch 024, East Coast Region Grade 9 Winners 1st Place:  Caleb Wilhelm              Branch 298, North Central  Region 9th_Grade_1st_Caleb Withelm 2nd Place: Katherine Labao         Branch 302, Southwest Region  3rd Place: Collins Murphy            Branch 264, South Central Region Grade 10 Winners 1st Place: Alexander Zhang         Branch 230, West Cost Region  10th_Grade_1st_Alexander Zhang 2nd Place: Michael Meng             Branch 124, Northeast New England Region  3rd Place: Adrian Orellana           Branch 208, East Coast Region Grade 11 Winners 1st Place: Conner Stevens           Branch 223, North Central Region 11th_Grade_1st_Conner Stevens 2nd Place: Luke Ruiz                    Branch 101, West Cost Region  3 rd Place: Lillian Commeree         Branch 174, Northwest Region

Grade 12 Winners 1st Place: Ammara Sarwar           Branch 214, Northeast New England Region 12th_Grade_1st_Amara Sarwar 2nd Place: Chloe Havener            Branch 055, Northwest Region  3rd Place: Annikka Fetro               Branch 101, West Cost Region

America’s Field Trip

THE CONTEST

What does america mean to you.

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 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 — with the opportunity to earn an unforgettable field trip experience at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.

Students are asked to submit writing or original artwork in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?”

THE FIELD TRIPS

Extraordinary visits to iconic national landmarks.

For the 2024-2025 America’s Field Trip contest, 25 first-place awardees from each grade level category and a chaperone will receive airfare and lodging for a 3-day, 2-night trip to a select historical or cultural site where they will experience one of the following:

• Behind-the-scenes tour of the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and sleepover at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, DC
• Exclusive visits to two Washington, DC, institutions: a trip into the National Archives Vault on the National Mall and private tour of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
• Exclusive tour of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia, and visit to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC
• Storytelling, history, and commemoration under the stars at Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Private tours of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, the International African American Museum, and the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina
• Exclusive tours of the Alamo in San Antonio and the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas
• Backstage tour of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio
• Beyond the ropes tour of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Guided visit to Angel Island Immigration Station and candlelight tour of Fort Point at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California
• Private guided tour of Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Wyoming
• Ranger-led hikes and tours of the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado
• Private tour of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida

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.

See full list of field trips

Resources for Applicants

Thought starters.

Below are some questions and prompts that may be helpful for students to consider as starting points as they prepare their submissions. Students are not expected to specifically address any or all of these questions in their responses.

• What has shaped America over the past 250 years? Think about the impact of individuals, ideas, documents, historical movements, and events and how they have affected the growth and development of our country.
• How has America influenced your family? Think about opportunities and benefits your family has enjoyed, challenges your family has faced, and service your family has given. Consider previous generations too–not just your immediate family.
• What do you hope for America’s future? Think about what you hope the country can achieve and how you can help make it a reality.

Additional thought starters for high school students:

• Read and reflect on the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence.
• What do the key ideas, values, and promises represented in the Declaration of Independence mean to you? What do you think they meant to Americans in 1776?

Do’s and Don’ts

• Be creative!
• Reflect on your own American story and that of your family and community.
• Talk to your teachers, parents, and community to get ideas for your entry.
• Let your personality shine through!
• Include your full name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, age or school name in your entry.
• Submit work you didn’t personally create entirely on your own. DO NOT USE AI TOOLS.
• Develop an entry as a group or team – each entry can only come from one student.
• Include names or images of your family members or friends.
• Include copyrighted materials (for example: celebrity names, names of sports teams, song lyrics written by others, photos, brand names or logos) in your entry. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE OR USE OTHER PERSONS’ WORK.
• Feel you have to only address our country’s past — you can talk about America’s future too.

Submission Guidelines

• Elementary School (3rd to 5th Grade) : Students may submit artwork, including physical or digital artwork through a high-res photo or a short written response (up to 100 words).
• Middle School (6th to 8th Grade) : Students may submit artwork, including physical or digital artwork through a high-res photo, or a written response (up to 250 words).
• High School (9th to 12th Grade) : Students may submit artwork, including physical or digital artwork through a high-res photo, or a written response (up to 500 words).

Judging Criteria

A diverse panel of judges consisting of current and former teachers will consider the submissions based on the following weighted criteria:

• Clarity of Idea [25%]: How well does the Entrant use both their personal and academic experiences to clearly address the Question? Does the Entry effectively convey ideas, emotion, or a story visually or with words by acknowledging the past or celebrating America’s achievements and possibilities for the future? Does the response offer fresh insight and innovative thinking?
• Student Voice [50%]: Is there passion in the Entry or a point-of-view that showcases a unique perspective on the diverse range of different experiences that make America unique in an original/authentic way?
• Presentation [25%]: What makes the submission content more compelling, fresh, or interesting than other Entrants’ content in their grade level category?

2024 Awardees

Thousands of students from across the country submitted inspiring entries, responding to the prompt “What does America mean to you?” for the first-ever America’s Field Trip contest. A panel of current and former educators selected 150 students as awardees, hailing from 44 states and territories.

Learn more about the 2024 awardees and their submissions!

See 2024 Awardees

Resources for Educators

Educators and school administrators will play an important role in engaging students and school communities in this contest and commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.

Students participating in the America’s Field Trip contest will be challenged to think critically about the nation’s journey to becoming a more perfect union, reflecting on the pivotal events and historical figures that have shaped the country.

Together with worldwide ed tech leader Discovery Education, America250 is sharing tools and resources to assist educators in bringing the America’s Field Trip contest to their classrooms. New for the 2024-2025 school year is an educator-facing instructional video from Discovery Education designed to help teachers align the contest prompt, “What does America mean to you?” with standards frameworks. Access resources here.

In partnership with

Funding provided by The Bank of New York Mellon Foundation. Custom educational programming for students and teachers developed by Discovery Education.

What is America250?

America250 is a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating and celebrating the 250th anniversary of our country. It is spearheaded by the congressionally-appointed U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and its nonprofit supporting organization, America250.org, Inc.

How can I bring America’s Field Trip into my classroom?

America250 is partnering with Discovery Education, the worldwide edtech leader, to develop custom educational programming that helps students deepen their understanding of America’s 250th anniversary and encourages participation in the America’s Field Trip contest with ready-to-use resources and activities for teachers. Access resources here .

What should students submit?

Submission requirements differ by grade level.

How will field trips be selected, and who will be chaperoning the trips?

Trips will be organized by America250 and chaperoned by the recipient’s parent or legal guardian or replacement family member guest (see Official Contest Rules for replacement guest criteria) along with other field trip recipients. First-place awardees will get to express their preference for trips, and final locations will be determined based on a first come, first serve basis, age group, availability, and recipient preference.

Can students bring their families on their field trips?

Students are required to have one chaperone, which must be a parent or legal guardian or replacement family member guest who must be at least 25 years of age and have full Power of Attorney, including medical, for the duration of the field trip. Additional guests will not be allowed to accompany awardees on field trips. (See Official Contest Rules for more details)

If I am a teacher, do I need the parental consent for each student in order to submit an Entry on their behalf?

Yes. By submitting an Entry, Submitters (if not the parent/legal guardian of Minor Entrant or Entrant who is of legal age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence) represent and warrant that they have obtained the written permission of the Entrant’s parent/legal guardian to submit an Entry (all Entries include the Entrant’s information and submission). See Official Contest Rules for more details.

If I am an educator and several of my students create entries, can I submit multiple entries?

Yes. While each student must create their submission individually, educators who receive written permission from each entrant’s parent or legal guardian can submit entries on behalf of multiple students using the application portal’s bulk upload feature. Students must be at the same school and grade level category.

What if I have additional questions?

Please email [email protected] .

Ready to Share What America Means to You?

Once you finish responding to the prompt, you must have a teacher, parent, or legal guardian upload your submission for consideration.

NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2024 ESSAY CONTEST AND ARETÉ SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

News provided by

Sep 26, 2024, 13:35 ET

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NEWARK, N.J. , Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In keeping with their commitment to inspiring, educating, and motivating youth and students in our state, the New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) and the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) announce the winners of the annual student Essay Contest and the Areté Scholarship Fund.

Lyla DiPalma and Eliana Matera won the 2024 Who Belongs in the New Jersey Hall of Fame essay contest. Essay Contest winners receive a $500 scholarship to pursue their chosen camp, program, or extracurricular activity.

In the middle school category, Lyla DiPalma , a fifth grader at Charles G. Harker Elementary School in Swedesboro, New Jersey , won for her essay on Tobin Heath , born in Morristown, New Jersey . Lyla's essay focused on Heath's acclaimed soccer career, activism for women's rights and equality, and her use of art to initiate community-wide change.

Eliana Matera , a tenth grader at Bergen County Academies in Elmwood Park , was selected in the high school category for her essay on former New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver . In her essay, Eliana described Oliver's dedicated service as the first woman of color to serve in statewide elected office in New Jersey and her devotion to her state's citizens.

"The NJEA is honored to present the annual Essay Contest and Areté Scholarship awards in partnership with the New Jersey Hall of Fame," said New Jersey Education Association President Sean M. Spiller , who is also a high school science teacher in the Wayne public school system. "The financial support provided through these awards has contributed to the successful educational journeys of many New Jersey students and allowed them to see that fulfilling their dreams is possible with hard work and determination."

The Hall of Fame also announced Rchin Bari and Gabriella Stewart as the winners of the 2024 Areté Scholarship Fund, a $5,000 award granted to two graduating high school seniors who exemplify the ancient Greek concept of actualizing one's highest self with moral excellence of character regardless of the circumstances or adversities one is likely to face on the path to greatness. The scholarship recipients must demonstrate academic engagement, moral character, a commitment to their community, and a sense of Jersey pride.

"Together with our sponsors and supporters throughout the great Garden State, we are proud to applaud this year's Areté Scholarship and Essay Contest winners," said Jon F. Hanson , Chairman of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. "Supporting the next generation in pursuing their highest potential is a vital component of the Hall of Fame's mission, and it's an honor to continue the tradition again this year."

Rchin is graduating from Essex County School of Technology's Newark Tech Campus. He plans to continue his Cancer Research apprenticeship under the Army Educational Outreach Program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology . Rchin's dreams of becoming a medicine practitioner began after learning about incurable diseases and volunteering at a local hospital. Rchin hopes to achieve his Areté by focusing on academic excellence, personal growth, and community impact, primarily through his continued volunteer work and research projects.

Gabriella is graduating from Franklin High School in Somerset, New Jersey . She will attend Howard University to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in Media, Communications, and Film. Gabriella aspires to participate in activities that align with her personal goals, promote diversity through the arts, and encourage inclusivity and change within her community.

The winners of the Essay Contest and the Areté Scholarship Fund will be honored at the NJHOF's induction ceremony later this year.

Changes to the award structure for both contests will be implemented in 2025. These include expanding the number of scholarship recipients to seven (7), three (3) Essay winners, and four (4) Areté winners and adding tickets to visit the New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream to their award packages. The 2025 application window will be October 1, 2024 – April 1, 2025 .

For more information on the Essay Contest, visit:

https://njhalloffame.org/essay-contest/  

For more information on the AretéScholarship Fund, visit: https://njhalloffame.org/arete/ .

ABOUT THE NJHOF:  Because everyone needs a hero, the New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) honors citizens who have made invaluable contributions to society, the State of New Jersey , and the world beyond. Since 2008, the NJHOF has hosted induction ceremonies for more than 240 notable individuals and groups in recognition of their induction into the Hall of Fame. Through the  New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream  and its many satellite sites, the NJHOF endeavors to present the public, especially students, with significant and impactful role models to show that they can, and should, strive for excellence. The NJHOF is thankful for the support of its many  sponsors , including Hackensack Meridian  Health , without which none of our endeavors would be possible. For more information, go to www.njhalloffame.org .

Eliza Rosenthale , Princeton Strategic Communications, (609) 558-3330, [email protected]

Aimee Brooks , Princeton Strategic Communications, (917) 881-3849, [email protected]  

SOURCE New Jersey Hall of Fame

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