Supported by America’s Field Trip Founding Sponsor BNY, 75 Students from 27 States & Territories Awarded Unforgettable Field Trip Experiences at Iconic American Landmarks as Part of Nationwide Scholastic Contest
New York, NY – Today, America250, the official nonpartisan entity charged by Congress with planning the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, announced the inaugural cohort of “America’s Field Trip” awardees. America’s Field Trip is a new, nationwide scholastic contest encouraging students to reflect on what America means to them, with first-place awardees taking part in special experiences at iconic American historical and cultural sites, and second-place awardees receiving $500 cash awards. The contest will continue in 2025 and 2026, with next year’s contest launching this September.
Thousands of students from states and territories across the country submitted incredible entries in response to the prompt “What does America mean to you?” Out of those submissions, 150 first and second awardees hailing from 44 states and territories were selected by a panel of current and former educators. The list of inaugural awardees can be found below, and their submissions can be found online here: america250.org/fieldtrip/awardees
First-place awardees will choose from the following unique and unforgettable field trip experiences this summer:
- Tour of the Statue of Liberty in New York
- Tour and hike at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana
- Weekend at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado
- Unique tours at the National Archives and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC
- Special tours at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, or the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC
- Explore America’s iconic financial capital, New York City, with private tours of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Museum and Learning Center and the New York Headquarters of BNY, the country’s oldest bank
- Experience National Parks of Boston with a special visit to the USS Constitution and a sunset cruise to Spectacle Island
- Candlelight tour at Fort Point at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge
- Costumed roleplaying experience at American Village in Alabama
“We’re thrilled to announce the first-ever America’s Field Trip awardees – 75 incredible students from across the country who will now embark on transformative field trip experiences where they’ll experience history outside of the classroom,” said America250 Chair, Rosie Rios. “We’re grateful for all of the students, teachers, and families who engaged around America’s Field Trip – one of the first big steps on our long journey together to the Semiquincentennial. As we advance toward July 4th, 2026, America’s Field Trip will only get bigger, engaging thousands of students around our collective history and giving them a platform to actively participate in envisioning our future.”
America250 announced America’s Field Trip in cooperation with BNY, a global financial services company that played a pivotal role in the development, growth, and rise of the United States for 240 years. “The meaningful experiences these students will gain beyond the classroom by visiting iconic American sites will inspire them and all the lives they touch to advance the nation’s long history of innovation,” said Jayee Koffey, Global Head of Enterprise Execution and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for BNY. “We congratulate these students and their families and are honored to be part of their journey.”
First Place Awardees
ALABAMA
Mary H., 3rd Grade, Birmingham
Camdyn M., 11th Grade, Chelsea
ARIZONA
Lyric S., 5th Grade, Phoenix
Dorothy Z., 7th Grade, Chandler
Helen A., 7th Grade, Laveen
Britney C., 10th Grade, Phoenix
CALIFORNIA
Faith S., 4th Grade, Long Beach
Edward Z., 5th Grade, Manhattan Beach
Aryan S., 6th Grade, Lake Forest
Shreya S., 7th Grade, Cupertino
Melina P., 8th Grade, San Francisco
Mina L., 10th Grade, Huntington Beach
Aiyana B., 11th Grade, Sacramento
FLORIDA
Vincenzo F., 5th Grade, Boca Raton
Itamar J., 5th Grade, Coral Springs
Aaliyah V., 9th Grade, Lake Mary
Rayyan A., 9th Grade, Sarasota
Yva C., 12th Grade, Miami Lakes
IDAHO
Phoenix O., 8th Grade, Shoshone
ILLINOIS
Leo A., 4th Grade, Oak Park
Elia G., 9th Grade, Chicago
IOWA
Charlee S., 5th Grade, Adel
Maysen W., 5th Grade, Adel
KENTUCKY
Pippy R., 4th Grade, Louisville
LOUISIANA
Braydelii H., 5th Grade, Metairie
MARYLAND
Anna W., 4th Grade, Clarksville
Juweriya S., 10th Grade, Frederick
Silas R., 10th Grade, Mount Airy
Peony K., 10th Grade, Sykesville
Guiliane P., 11th Grade, Silver Spring
MASSACHUSETTS
Emily W., 3rd Grade, Peabody
MICHIGAN
Camila S., 7th Grade, Allen Park
Cambrie B., 11th Grade, Richland
Morgan L., 12th Grade, Lake Orion
MINNESOTA
Sybil Z., 3rd Grade, Minneapolis
MISSISSIPPI
Andrew C., 12th Grade, Corinth
Jerry P., 12th Grade, Corinth
MISSOURI
Kaylee C., 6th Grade, Ellisville
Natalie R., 8th Grade, Pleasant Hope
Julia P., 10th Grade, Humansville
NEVADA
Amelie M., 7th Grade, Las Vegas
NEW JERSEY
Lulin L., 3rd Grade, Bridgewater
Jace T., 6th Grade, Newark
Ginger C., 7th Grade, Salem
Malay G., 7th Grade, Edison
Kadidiatou L., 12th Grade, Newark
NEW YORK
Gabriel D., 5th Grade, Kerhonkson
Kendyl C., 5th Grade, Kingston
Audrey B., 5th Grade, New Paltz
Gwen W., 5th Rifton
Ryan Z., 5th Grade, Rifton
Mckenna H., 6th Grade, Rifton
Shrikar P., 7th Grade, Scarsdale
Olivia F., 10th Grade, Brooklyn
NORTH CAROLINA
Taliesin Robert Allen R., 5th Grade, Greensboro
Elizabeth B., 8th Grade, Winston-Salem
Mya F., 11th Grade, Raleigh
OKLAHOMA
Anna S., 12th Grade, Glenpool
PENNSYLVANIA
Lydia Z., 3rd Grade, Weatherly
Alyssa B., 5th Grade, Oreland
Alyssa Y., 6th Grade, Yardley
Margaret F., 8th Grade, Chester
Leila W., 9th Grade, Cranberry Township
Benjamin M., 12th Grade, Pittsburgh
SOUTH CAROLINA
Kiran Miles B., 4th Grade, Mount Pleasant
TENNESSEE
Charli M., 6th Grade, Lebanon
UTAH
Kate F., 10th Grade, Lehi
VIRGINIA
Fiona M., 5th Grade, Alexandria
James C., 5th Grade, Alexandria
Evelyn M., 8th Grade, Williamsburg
Sara M., 11th Grade, Mosley
WISCONSIN
August B., 6th Grade, Plover
WYOMING
Trenton S., 7th Grade, Worland
Caroline H., 8th Grade, Laramie
Grace B., 8th Grade, Laramie
Second Place Awardees
AMERICAN SAMOA
Margaret L., High School, Pago Pago
Nathaniel S., High School, Pago Pago
ARIZONA
Helen N., High School, Mesa
ARKANSAS
Logan L., Middle School, West Memphis
CALIFORNIA
Catherine Y., Middle School, Mission Viejo
COLORADO
Wynn L., Middle School, Fort Collins
Isabella F., High School, Parker
CONNECTICUT
Jane C., Middle School, Fairfield
DELAWARE
Ryan H., Elementary School, Newark
FLORIDA
Micah B., Elementary School, Winter Garden
Hadley P., Elementary School, Naples
Oliver C., Middle School, Weston
GEORGIA
Landry E., High School, Meansville
HAWAII
Laylamae W., Middle School, Ewa Beach
IDAHO
Eloise P., Elementary School, Rathdrum
Rebekah C., Middle School, Meridian
ILLINOIS
Reva S., Elementary School, Naperville
INDIANA
Elizabeth A., Elementary School, Evansville
IOWA
Lynnaea W., Elementary School, Adel
Suusandy K., Elementary School, Des Moines
Sophia C., Middle School, West Des Moines
Olivia Z., Middle School, Ames
Raam P., Middle School, Marion
Aanya K., Middle School, West Des Moines
LOUISIANA
Olivia A., Middle School, Luling
MAINE
Delaney B., Elementary School, Oxford
Sam D., High School, Acton
MARYLAND
Matthew J., Middle School, North East
Robyn S., Middle School, Mount Airy
Camden S., High School, Fallston
Melody T., High School, Aberdeen
MASSACHUSETTS
Sarah E., Middle School, Chelmsford
John C., Middle School, West Roxbury
MICHIGAN
Sophia K., Middle School, Grand Rapids
Malik C., High School, Detroit
Levi S., High School, Northville
MINNESOTA
Zoey P., Elementary School, Oak Grove
MISSISSIPPI
Maddie G., High School, Corinth
Tilden S., High School, Corinth
MISSOURI
Ina K., Elementary School, Belton
MONTANA
Peyten T., Elementary School, Livingston
Cecelia H., Middle School, Missoula
Cylee N., High School, Crow Agency
NEW JERSEY
Valeria R., Elementary School, Bridgewater
Olivia P., Elementary School, Madison
Everett K., Elementary School, Haddonfield
Alexander L., Middle School, Florham Park
Kaitlyn R., Middle School, Milltown
Jessenia S., Middle School, Newark
Foysal S., High School, Elizabeth
Brenden F., High School, Cinnaminson
NEW MEXICO
Luke B., Elementary School, Albuquerque
NEW YORK
Alanna C., Elementary School, Baldwin
Anneli H., Elementary School, Rifton
Ronald B., High School, Yonkers
NORTH CAROLINA
Charleston D., Elementary School, Rougemont
Ethan K., High School, Kernersville
Abigail P., High School, Winston-Salem
OHIO
Rohith D., High School, Delaware
OREGON
Sylvie H., Elementary School, Talent
Gregory D., High School, Portland
Sayed Ali H., High School, Beaverton
Haidy M., High School, Beaverton
Shadan A., High School, Tigard
PENNSYLVANIA
Caleb H., Elementary School, Dillsburg
Aubrey C., Elementary School, Fogelsville
Elizabeth S., Middle School, Lewistown
Josiah K., High School, Millersville
Wesley G., High School, Lancaster
SOUTH CAROLINA
Arslan S., Elementary School, Columbia
UTAH
Guard F., Middle School, Lehi
VIRGINIA
Claire Y., Middle School, Stafford
Maia Z., Middle School, Toano
WASHINGTON
Hailey S., Elementary School, Woodinville
Elsa Marina L., Elementary School, Seattle
America's Field Trip
Engaging students nationwide to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary!
This contest invites students in grades 3–12 to share their perspectives on what America means to them — and earn the opportunity to travel for field trip experiences at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.