TRENTON, NJ 鈥 , New Jersey鈥檚 official 250th partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission and the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution, together with , the nonpartisan entity charged by Congress with planning the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, has announced that five students from New Jersey were selected as inaugural 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Field Trip鈥 first-place awardees.
is a nationwide scholastic contest encouraging students to reflect on what America means to them, with first-place awardees receiving special behind-the-scenes experiences at iconic American historical and cultural sites. Thousands of students across the country sent in inspiring submissions responding to the prompt 鈥淲hat does America mean to you?鈥 Out of those submissions, 75 were named first-place awardees, and 75 were selected as second-place awardees, receiving a $500 cash award.
鈥淚 am incredibly proud and moved by our students鈥 submissions to the America鈥檚 Field Trip contest,鈥 said New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. 鈥淭heir stories of immigration and belonging, of freedom and liberty, of cultural expression and community building exemplify the very best of our state and nation and are highly deserving of this prize.鈥
The awardees from New Jersey include:
First Place
- Ginger C., Salem, 7th Grade
- Kadidiatou L., Newark, 12th Grade
- Lulin L., Bridgewater, 3rd Grade
- Jace T., Newark, 6th Grade
- Malay G., Edison, 7th Grade
Second Place
- Valeria R., Bridgewater, Elementary School (Grades 3鈥5)
- Brenden F., Cinnaminson, High School (Grades 9鈥12)
- Olivia P., Madison, Elementary School (Grades 3鈥5)
- Foysal S., Elizabeth, High School (Grades 9鈥12)
- Alexander L., Florham Park, Middle School (Grades 6鈥8)
- Everett K., Haddonfield, Elementary School (Grades 3鈥5)
- Kaitlyn R., Milltown, Middle School (Grades 6鈥8)
- Jessenia S., Newark, Middle School (Grades 6鈥8)
A full list of the 150 nationwide awardees and their submissions is available at .
鈥淎ll of us at RevolutionNJ are so pleased with this strong showing from New Jersey鈥檚 students,鈥 said executive director of the New Jersey Historical Commission, Sara Cureton. 鈥淎s New Jersey鈥檚 250th partnership, RevolutionNJ places a high value on educational initiatives such as America鈥檚 Field Trip, for we believe that understanding the past builds better neighbors, citizens, and leaders for New Jersey鈥檚 future.鈥
First-place awardees will participate in one of 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, D.C.
- Special tours at the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Museum of American History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, or the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
- 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 Bank of New York, 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
鈥淭he America鈥檚 Field Trip program perfectly aligns with RevolutionNJ鈥檚 goals to elevate the value placed on history education and to promote heritage tourism,鈥 said executive director of Crossroads of the American Revolution, Carrie Fellows. 鈥淚n future contest rounds, we hope to provide students with the opportunity to explore some of the wonderful heritage sites here in New Jersey to help them better understand the American Revolution and its legacy here in our state.鈥
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to announce the first-ever America鈥檚 Field Trip awardees 鈥 75 incredible students from across the country who will now embark on transformative field trip experiences where they鈥檒l experience history outside of the classroom," said America250 Chair, Rosie Rios. "We鈥檙e grateful for all of the students, teachers, and families who engaged around America鈥檚 Field Trip 鈥 one of the first big steps on our long journey together to the Semiquincentennial. As we advance towards July 4, 2026, America鈥檚 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."
About RevolutionNJ
RevolutionNJ is a partnership between the , a division of the New Jersey Department of State, and the nonprofit to plan the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in New Jersey. RevolutionNJ will advance the role that history plays in public discourse, community engagement, education, tourism, and scholarship in New Jersey. Through a series of initiatives that explore the history of the American Revolution, its context, and its legacy, RevolutionNJ will galvanize diverse audiences statewide into embracing the enduring value and relevance of history. Learn more at .
About America250
America250 is a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating and celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is spearheaded by the congressionally appointed U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and its nonprofit supporting organization, America250.org, Inc, together known as America250. This multi-year effort kicked off with America鈥檚 Invitation on July 4, 2023: a national public engagement campaign inviting all Americans to share their stories and their hopes and dreams for the future of this country. Until July 4, 2026, America250 is working to provide opportunities for all Americans to pause and reflect on our nation鈥檚 past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look to the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.
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