Recently American250 launched America’s Field Trip, which is a nationwide scholastic competition inviting students to express their thoughts on what America means to them through art, poems, essays, or videos. Notably, 75 students first-place awardees (25 elementary, 25 middle school, and 25 high school students) will be selected to participate in a complimentary 3-day behind-the-scenes field trip to some of our most treasured national monuments. Teachers involved in winning submissions will receive a $1,000 cash prize, while 75 runner-up students will receive a $500 cash prize. The deadline to submit is May 17th.

High-quality, robust work-based learning programs can help ease the postsecondary transition and prepare students for the workforce. States must continue to expand programming and increase accessibility to these opportunities. 

The Center for American Progress (CAP) released a new report titled, K-12 Work-Based Learning Opportunities: A 50-State Scan of 2023 Legislative Action. 

The report analyzes state legislation passed in 2023 related to work-based learning in K-12 schools and offers recommendations for policymakers to expand and improve work-based learning programs to prepare students for postsecondary opportunities.

Each year, the National Rural Education Association (NREA) and Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) partner to present the National Signature Project Award, a grant program for innovative classroom projects that exemplify the very best in place-based education. The program awards one outstanding rural educator with up to a $2,500 grant and two additional rural teachers with up to $1,500.

In addition to the awarded funds, the NREA and RSC will compensate all of the awardees' travel and registration fees for their attendance to National Forum to Advance Rural Education!

This program is open to any rural classroom teacher in the United States, and we strongly encourage teachers who come from under-represented backgrounds to apply. The application deadline is May 5, 2024.