Submission Deadline:
July 4, 2026

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America 250

The Fairfield K-12 Student Poetry & Art Contest

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Calling All Creators!

America is turning 250, and our story isn’t finished. An anniversary like this one isn't just a look back — it’s an opportunity to reflect on the living promise of who we can become. You carry the pulse of the American promise. From the street where you live to the dreams you chase, you are crafting the continuing story of America every day.

“The Pulse of the American Promise”

We are looking for original Poetry and Visual Art that captures “The Pulse of the American Promise."

Think about the American values that mean the most to you: Freedom, Community, Courage, Opportunity, Equality…

  • What does "Freedom" look like on a Tuesday afternoon in your neighborhood?

  • Where do you see "Community" in action at your school or kitchen table?

  • What “Courage” will you need in your daily life to continue the promise of America?

Give us a snapshot of your world. Show us how you see the continuing thread of what it means to be American in your life.

The Challenge

Write a poem, using 250 words or less, that captures the pulse of the American promise. How can you use the sounds, colors, textures, and energy that surrounds you to create a poem celebrating the American values that mean the most to you?

For the Poets

Create a visual piece that captures the pulse of the American promise. How can you use color, paint, digital tools, collage, ink, etc. to visually express the American values that mean the most to you?
(Entry is scanned/digitized/photographed. Original is no larger than 22"x42")

For the Visual Artists

Student submissions will be grouped by grade levels: K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12.

All student submissions are due July 4, 2026. Winning entries will be celebrated and displayed at the 5th Annual Lincoln Parkapalooza, scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026.

Additional prizes and acknowledgements TBA.

Submission Guidelines

Contacts

Mike Susol 
Stratfield Village Association
Joelle Kilcourse (jkilcourse@fairfieldschools.net)
Library-Media Specialist, Roger Ludlowe Middle School

  • “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

    – Eleanor Roosevelt

  • “Art is not a thing; it is a way.”

    - Elbert Hubbard

  • “Creativity that satisfies and affirms your world view is Entertainment. Creativity that challenges and disrupts your world view is Art.”

    – Neil deGrass Tyson

  • “Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could do only a little.”

    – Edmund Burke

  • "The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions which have been hidden by the answers."

    – James Baldwin

  • "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."

    – Edgar Degas

Submit Student Work