The Utah State Board of Education announced June 12 that several Utah students have been named grand-prize winners in the America250 competition, a national effort to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
List of grand-prize winners
The winners recognized by the Utah State Board of Education include fifth-grade students Advik Dehran and James Jensen, eighth-grade students Lucy Mecham and Tallon Hembury, tenth-grade students Grady Mitchell and Zakia Mohammadi, and twelfth-grade students Kira Flanagan and Laelia Williams.
Additional student award recipients
Additionally, Noelle McConnell received an artist statement recognition. Within the twelfth grade, Helen H. was named a second-place awardee, while ninth-grader Tawny M. also earned second-place honors. Packer W., a sixth-grade student from South Jordan, was recognized as a first-place national awardee from Utah.
Goals of America250 initiative
The America250 initiative aims to engage 350 million Americans by the nation's July 4, 2026, milestone. The program includes various 'tentpole' initiatives such as America's Field Trip, which invites students in grades 3-12 to submit essays, videos, and artwork regarding the meaning of America.
Other national commemorative programs
Other national programs include America Gives, which focuses on charitable giving and volunteering, and America's Invitation, a project encouraging citizens to share personal reflections on the nation's past, present, and future.
