FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
July 23, 2025
|
Contact:
Deputy Chief of
Communications Danyelle
McNeill
501-324-9597 |
[email protected]
|
|
America250 Announces 2025
America’s Field Trip Awardees:
Celebrating Students Across the
Nation
LITTLE ROCK, AR - The Arkansas250
Commission, in partnership with
America250—the official national
organization charged by Congress with
planning the 250th anniversary of the United
States—is proud to announce that two
Arkansas students have been named awardees
in the 2025 America’s Field Trip
contest.
Katherine Q., a 12th-grade student at the
Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences
and the Arts, was selected as a first-place
winner. Joah S., an 8th-grade student at
Ozark Junior High School, received a
second-place award. Their thoughtful and
creative submissions were chosen from
thousands of entries submitted by students
across all 50 states, five U.S. territories,
and the District of Columbia.
America’s Field Trip invites students in
grades 3–12 to reflect on the question,
“What does America mean to you?” In total,
150 awardees representing 41 states and four
U.S. territories were selected by a panel of
current and former educators.
Seventy-five first-place awardees will
participate in once-in-a-lifetime field
trips to iconic American historical and
cultural sites this summer. The seventy-five
second-place awardees will each receive a
$500 cash prize. This is the second year of
the America’s Field Trip program, following
a successful pilot program in 2024.
“We congratulate Katherine and Joah on this
outstanding achievement and applaud all the
Arkansas students who took the time to
reflect and participate in this contest,”
said Shea Lewis, Secretary of the Arkansas
Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism
and Chair of the Arkansas250 Commission.
“America’s Field Trip gives students a
powerful way to explore what our country
means to them and helps connect their voices
to the larger story of our nation. As we
prepare for the 250th anniversary, these
kinds of opportunities are exactly what we
need to inspire the next generation of
leaders and storytellers.”
“America’s Field Trip is a transformative
opportunity for students across the country
to engage with our nation’s history in
meaningful, lasting ways,” said Rosie Rios,
Chair of America250. “Our tentpole programs
are intentionally designed to be hands-on,
educational and engaging. America’s Field
Trip truly brings the story of America to
life and allows a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity for these students to experience
American history and national treasures
up-close.”
Established by Governor Sarah Huckabee
Sanders in July 2024, the Arkansas250
Commission is leading the state’s efforts to
commemorate the 250th anniversary of the
United States. The Commission’s mission to
honor the rich history and beauty of the
Natural State, inspiring Arkansans to
appreciate and protect the state’s heritage
through educational programs and service
opportunities. They are working closely with
community leaders across Arkansas to develop
local celebrations that reflect the diverse
people and stories that shape the state’s
past and future.
To view the full list of 2025 America’s
Field Trip awardees and explore winning
student submissions, visit: www.america250.org/fieldtrip/awardees.
|
|
Arkansas
Heritage
Arkansas Heritage was created in
1975 and is a division of the
Arkansas Department of Parks,
Heritage and Tourism. There are
eight agencies with unique
heritage focuses under the
umbrella of this division:
Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas
Historic Preservation Program,
the Delta Cultural Center in
Helena, the Old State House
Museum, the Arkansas Natural
Heritage Commission, the Mosaic
Templars Cultural Center, the
Historic Arkansas Museum and the
Arkansas State Archives.
Arkansas Department of
Parks, Heritage and
Tourism
The Arkansas Department of
Parks, Heritage and Tourism
protects and promotes our
state’s natural, cultural and
historic assets, contributing to
a thriving economy and high
quality of life. It is made up
of three divisions: Arkansas
State Parks, Arkansas Heritage
and Arkansas Tourism.
###
|
|
|
|
|
