WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Second Lady Usha Vance and the National Endowment for the Arts announced the winners Friday of a nationwide student art competition celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
The Bookmark Design Challenge: Celebrating America’s 250th invited students in kindergarten through eighth grade to create original bookmarks that showed what America means to them. Organizers received entries from students across the country. The winning designs highlighted themes tied to American history, unity, creativity, and the nation’s future. The contest aimed to encourage young students to explore patriotism and national identity through art ahead of the United States’ semiquincentennial celebration in 2026.
Three students won top honors in separate grade categories. Iris Zhang, a first-grader from Fremont, California, won the kindergarten through second-grade category. Margaret McCaul, a third grader from Jacksonville, Florida, earned first place in the third through fifth grade division. Eden Pethel, an eighth grader from Pendergrass, Georgia, claimed the top prize in the sixth through eighth grade category. Second Lady Usha Vance praised the students for using art to express their ideas about America and its future.
“It was so special to participate in this year’s bookmark design challenge as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary,” Vance said in a statement Friday. “Art plays such an important role in our nation’s history and inspires our young people’s imagination, creativity, and patriotism.”
She also thanked the students and families who took part in the contest. Vance said the submissions reflected America’s history and values through the perspective of young artists from communities across the nation. The National Endowment for the Arts partnered with the Second Lady’s office to organize the challenge. NEA Chairman Mary Anne Carter said the contest highlighted the importance of creativity in helping students connect with their communities and the country’s history.
“As we approach this historic milestone, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to celebrate the voices and visions of young artists,” Carter said. “These students remind us of the vital role creativity plays in helping us understand our history, our communities, and our shared future.”
The bookmark design competition encouraged students to create hand-drawn artwork inspired by several patriotic themes. Organizers asked participants to focus on topics such as American traditions, symbols of democracy, community pride, and hopes for the country’s future.
The challenge formed part of broader efforts tied to America250, the nationwide initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Federal agencies, schools, and cultural organizations have launched events and educational programs leading up to the historic milestone in July 2026. Education and arts leaders often point to student competitions like the Bookmark Design Challenge as a way to promote creativity and civic engagement at an early age. Programs that combine art with history lessons can help students better understand national events while encouraging personal expression.
The winning students will receive national recognition during a special event at the Great American State Fair, which runs from June 25 through July 10, 2026. Organizers plan to showcase the students’ artwork as part of the larger celebration honoring America’s 250th birthday. The fair is expected to feature exhibits, educational displays, live entertainment, and cultural programs connected to the nation’s history and future. Officials said the event will bring together families, artists, educators, and community leaders from across the country.
