America250 Announces 2026 America’s Field Trip Awardees; Two Oregon Students Selected For Inspiring Answers To The Question, “What Does America Mean To You?” - 06/15/26

Portland, OR — The America 250 Oregon Commission, together with America250, the official national organization charged by Congress with commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States, today proudly announced the 2026 “America’s Field Trip” awardees, which includes two students from Oregon. America’s Field Trip is a nationwide contest inviting students in grades 3–12 to reflect on the question: “What does America mean to you?”​

The winners from Oregon include first place awardee Amy Elliot, a 12th grader from Evergreen Virtual Academy in Portland, and Macy Kragt, a 10th grader from Baker Charter Schools in Hillsboro. For a full list of awardees and a selection of winning submissions, please visit america250.org/fieldtrip/awardees.

America’s Field Trip has been building momentum over three contest years as one of America250’s signature education programs, advancing the organization’s mission to educate, engage, and unite Americans in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary. Since its 2024 pilot program, the nationwide student contest has received more than 20,000 entries, including more than 10,000 submissions this year alone. With this year’s class, America250 will have recognized 550 young people total through America’s Field Trip, including 275 first-place winners receiving once-in-a-lifetime trips and 275 second-place winners receiving cash prizes.

The 2026 entrants represented all 50 states, five U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C. A panel of current and former educators selected the 2026 honorees, the largest class of awardees yet: 250 students representing 46 states and U.S. territories. This includes 125 first-place awardees (41 elementary school students, 42 middle school students and 42 high school students) who will travel on one of 16 once-in-a-lifetime field trip experiences this summer. An additional 125 second-place awardees (42 elementary school students, 42 middle school students and 41 high school students) will receive a $500 cash award and America250 gear.

“The America 250 Oregon Commission congratulates Amy E., Macy K., and all of this year’s America’s Field Trip participants,” said Kerry Tymchuk, chair of the America 250 Oregon Commission. “Their words inspire us and reflect the next generation’s hope for America’s future.”

Each first-place awardees will participate in one of the specially-curated trips taking place across 12 states and Washington, D.C., July 10–August 16, 2026. Amy E. selected Philadelphia as the destination for her field trip, where she will experience a beyond the ropes tour of Independence National Historical Park and the Philadelphia Mint.

“America’s Field Trip gives students a national platform to reflect on our country in their own words, through their own creativity and from the communities they call home,” said Rosie Rios, Chair of America250. “As we prepare to commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary, these students remind us that America’s story is something each generation helps shape. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and give first-place awardees the chance to experience the people, places and ideas that have helped define our country.” 

About the America 250 Oregon Commission

The mission of the America 250 Oregon Commission is to coordinate, provide guidance, and ensure that Oregon’s official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is inclusive and shares the histories of Oregon’s diverse populations, including the histories of the Indigenous peoples who have resided here since time immemorial.

If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with the America 250 Oregon commemoration, please contact oregon.250@ohs.org or sign up for the official America 250 Oregon email list. Learn more at oregon250.org.

About America250

America250 is the national nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in celebrating and commemorating the Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is spearheaded by the congressionally-appointed U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and its sole-supporting nonprofit organization, America250.org, Inc., together known as America250. This multi-year effort kicked off with America’s 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. Leading up to July 4, 2026, America250 is working to provide opportunities for all Americans to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look to the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond. To learn more, visit America250.org.

About the America’s Field Trip Contest

America’s Field Trip Contest is a creative opportunity for students in grades 3–12 to reflect on what America means to them through original artwork or written responses. The contest encourages students from across the U.S. and its territories to share their vision of America’s values, history, and future. 

OHS Announces 2026 Palmer Award Winners, Pilot Honoraria Program For Oregon Historical Quarterly Authors And Reviewers, And 2027 Sterling Fellowship For Researchers - 06/04/26

Portland, OR — The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is excited to announce three programs to recognize scholars and researchers working with its scholarly journal, the Oregon Historical Quarterly (OHQ). From a research fellowship to honoraria for writers and reviewers to an author prize, this financial support is offered at a time when higher-education, federal government, and other supports for humanities scholars have decreased.   

2026 Joel Palmer Award Winners

Each year, OHQ presents the Joel Palmer Award to the author of the best article published in the journal during the previous year. Omar C. “Slug” Palmer and William J. Lang established this award in honor of their ancestor Joel Palmer, an Oregon pioneer and political leader during the mid-nineteenth century. Family members continue to support the fund, providing increased recognition to authors. 

OHQ’s editorial advisory board votes on the first-place article, which includes a $500 prize, as well as recognizes two articles for honorable mention. The recipients were announced at OHS’s May 20 Annual Meeting of the Membership, and the articles as well as all previous Palmer Award–winning articles are available to read for free on ohs.org.

The Quarterly’s editorial board recognized Lauren Yanase’s Spring 2025 article, “‘Not fit for human habitation”: Portland’s Wartime Japanese American Detention Camp,” as the winner for 2026. In the article, Yanase examines in detail the Portland Assembly Center’s debilitating physical environment and the experience of detainees who endured and labored there in 1942 before being relocated again to long-term incarceration camps for the duration of World War II. Utilizing the excellent but limited research on Oregon’s pre–World War II Japanese populations, Yanase sheds new light on the Portland Assembly Center’s history and legacy, placing it within the frameworks developed to study other sites of Japanese incarceration.

As OHQ editorial board member Laura Shepard notes, “Yanase highlighted a history that is too often overlooked…. [and] gave a rich and detailed account of what life was like at the temporary detention facilities and nicely underscored the importance of remembering and sharing this history.” 

Two articles were recognized as honorable mentions: Diane L. Teeman’s Fall 2025 article, “A Room With a View: Concluding Remarks from the Oregon Historical Society’s 2022 Great Basin Symposium,” and Jennifer L. Holland’s Winter 2025 article, “A Gay Rural Awakening: A History of Small-Town Queer Politics.”

Teeman’s “A Room With a View” includes edited selections from her PhD dissertation and concluding remarks from the Oregon Historical Society’s “Human Experience in the Oregon Great Basin” symposium held on November 5–6, 2022, in Bend, Oregon. Teeman introduces autoethnography and discusses the benefits of archaeologists involving Indigenous community members throughout the life of a research project.

In “A Gay Rural Awakening” Holland explores the lives of lesbian, gay, and transgender people who have lived in and strived to improve their small towns. She traces rural queer politics through the lives of three Oregonians during the 1970s through the 1990s. In their work, each of these activists drew from long-held traditions of community-directed activism to face the rightward-shifting politics in their rural homes.

OHQ thanks the authors for bringing their works to the journal and congratulates them on this recognition of their scholarship.

New Pilot Program Offers Honoraria to Authors and Reviewers

Like all scholarly history journals, OHQ relies on historians, researchers, and subject-matter experts to author articles, peer-review manuscripts, and write book reviews. As many authors face personal and institutional financial constraints, OHQ’s editorial team has decided to pilot a modest honorarium program to encourage submissions and participation in the publication process. Thanks to a private donation, this pilot honorarium program will launch in June 2026; more information is available on OHQ’s “Submit an Article” page.

2027 Donald J. Sterling, Jr., Fellowship Applications Now Open

The Donald J. Sterling, Jr., Fellowships in Pacific Northwest History encourage original, scholarly, and interpretive research in the Oregon Historical Society’s library in Portland. The two fellowships offered each year include a Senior Fellowship ($2,500), which is open to all applicants, and a Graduate Research Fellowship ($2,000), which is restricted to candidates for advanced degrees. These fellowships are made possible through an endowment from the family of Donald J. Sterling, Jr.

Applicants are not required to be professional historians but must have experience in historical research and writing. Preference will be given to scholars who have suitable research topics, who have the potential of making a significant contribution to historical scholarship on Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, and who demonstrate the ability to write an article-length manuscript for OHQ. Learn more on OHS’s “Research Fellowships” webpage.

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and complex as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.

About the Oregon Historical Quarterly

The journal of record for Oregon history, the Oregon Historical Quarterly publishes well-researched, well-written history about Oregon and the Pacific Northwest for both scholars and general readers. OHQ amplifies knowledge and perspectives that traditional scholarship has often silenced and sparks relevant conversations about history. It is one of the largest state historical society journals in the United States and is a recognized and respected source for the history of the Pacific Northwest. A subscription to OHQ is also a benefit of Oregon Historical Society membership, and single-issue copies can be purchased in the OHS Museum Store.

Next America 250 Oregon Commission Meeting Scheduled For June 4, 2026 - 06/02/26

Portland, OR — All are welcome to attend the next America 250 Oregon Commission meeting, which will be held virtually at 3pm on Thursday, June 4. Register here if you would like to join the live conversation. If you are unable to attend, the meeting recording and minutes will be posted online at oregon250.org in the coming weeks.

The meeting agenda is available online, with topics including an Oregon 250 Grants Program update and a presentation on the From Dates to Doorways toolkit created by Oregon Heritage.

Oregon 250 Grant Program

The America 250 Oregon Commission, in partnership with Oregon Heritage and the Oregon Historical Society, established the Oregon 250 Grant Program to help organizations create inclusive, community-focused projects that highlight Oregon’s diverse histories, traditions, and cultures. In total, the program granted more than $244,000 to 80 organizations statewide across four funding cycles.

Learn more about the projects that have been funded through the Oregon 250 Grant Program on the commission website.

From Dates to Doorways: A Practical Toolkit for Milestones, Reflection, and Engagement

This year the United States marks its 250th anniversary — an inspiration for heritage and tourism practitioners to treat milestones as more than just a date on the calendar. To meet this moment, the Oregon Heritage Commission partnered with Story Quilters, LLC to create From Dates to Doorways, a free downloadable toolkit to help organizations plan milestone moments with intention.

The toolkit offers an introduction to anniversaries and milestones and opportunities that may exist for organizations to connect with them in thoughtful ways, real-world examples, and practical ideas for special programming, community engagement, collections/archives, and fundraising/marketing. Access this free toolkit here.

America 250 Oregon Community Calendar

The America 250 Oregon Commission invites individuals, organizations, and communities across the state to participate in our state’s official 250th commemoration by hosting events that reflect the diversity, creativity, and history of Oregon. Whether you’re planning a lecture, festival, exhibition, performance, community conversation, or something entirely unique — the commission wants to hear from you!

To be featured on the America 250 Oregon community calendar, your event must align with at least one of the commission guideposts — the foundational values guiding our semiquincentennial commemoration effort in Oregon.

Fill out the Event Submission Form if you would like your event included on the America 250 Oregon community calendar. All submissions will be reviewed and could take up to 3 weeks for response. Please submit a separate form for each program, project, or event you plan to host. Approved events will receive the “America 250 Oregon Official Event” logo for inclusion on promotional materials.

America 250 Oregon Traveling Exhibitions

The America 250 Oregon Commission is currently offering two traveling exhibitions that are available to rent at no cost!

The Power of Place highlights Oregon’s awe-inspiring landscapes, from its rugged coastline to its tranquil valleys and majestic peaks, many of which have remained unchanged for centuries.

The Pursuit of Happiness shifts the focus to the people and communities of Oregon and the way we gather to celebrate the diverse cultures that define our state. 

Both exhibitions are also available to view for free online here.

Get Involved

If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with the America 250 Oregon commemoration, please contact oregon.250@ohs.org or sign up for the official America 250 Oregon email list.

About the America 250 Oregon Commission

The mission of the America 250 Oregon Commission is to coordinate, provide guidance, and ensure that Oregon’s official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is inclusive and shares the histories of Oregon’s diverse populations, including the histories of the Indigenous peoples who have resided here since time immemorial. Learn more at oregon250.org.