Arizona America250 Initiatives

Name: Arizona America250
Address: United States

Explore, Engage, Celebrate Arizona & America

Arizona America250 initiatives are designed to inspire statewide participation and deepen community connections. Through collaborative programs, local storytelling, and dynamic events, we’re reflecting on our shared history as we shape the nation’s future together.

Arizona Initiatives

America250 and AZ High School Diplomas

In 1976, America celebrated the Bicentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and one way that schools paid tribute was by adding the United States Bicentennial Logo to graduating seniors’ diplomas. This tribute is being replicated for the Semiquincentennial by adding the America250 logo to diplomas as a memento, keepsake, and neat artifact for students graduating in 2026.

The Arizona Department of Education obtained permission* to use the official America250 logo on public school diplomas. There is also an opportunity to include the Arizona America 250 logo, highlighting Arizona’s role in America’s past, present, and future. The Arizona Department of Education encourages schools to add both logos to high school diplomas for 2026.

School Districts or School Sites Can Request Access by Clicking Here

*Permission of use is only for high school diplomas, to use the America250 logo in any other capacity requires an authorization form.

A scenic desert landscape with a dirt trail winding through dry brush, small shrubs, and several tall saguaro cacti. In the background, sunlit desert mountains rise under a partly cloudy sky. The warm golden light suggests early morning or late afternoon, casting long shadows across the rocky terrain.

Operation Freedom March

To engage military veterans, service members, families, and supporters in the Arizona America250 campaign, we’re proud to partner with the Arizona Trail Association to host “Operation Freedom March,” a year-long initiative commencing on July 4, 2025, and concluding on Independence Day, July 4, 2026. This program invites participants to hike, ride, or horseback ride sections of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, embodying the spirit of service and unity.

Hit the Trail for 250

A collage of three images displaying artwork. In the top left, two people stand side by side in front of two circular mixed‑media pieces mounted on a gallery wall. The artwork features patterned, ornate designs, and a small description card is posted beside them. In the bottom left, two rectangular framed paintings hang on a neutral‑colored wall. One painting shows a large saguaro cactus with desert plants in the foreground. The other painting depicts a landscape with a wide sky and distant horizon. A small label is placed between the two. On the right side, a tall, colorful artwork features bold graphic elements: rays of yellow and red at the top, a large blue eye with an orange triangle beneath it, clouds, crescent moons, rainbows, stylized steaks, green cactus shapes, a cow skull, and the word COPPER in the center. The bottom edge has a black‑and‑white checkered pattern.

5 C's Art Exhibition

The 5 C’s Art Exhibition in partnership with the Flinn Foundation and Art State Arizona invites Arizonans to explore the industries that built our state and continue to shape our identity: Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus, and Climate.

Together, the artworks tell a vibrant, people‑centered story of innovation, heritage & legacy, and the spirit of the American Southwest.

The Flinn Foundation
1802 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 744-6800

Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through June 2026. To ensure the best experience, the Flinn Foundation requests calling in advance to ensure that the works are available for public viewing.

Online Civics & Debate Club

The Sandra Day O’Connor Ambassadors Online Civics & Debate Club is a free, extracurricular opportunity for high school students in 9th through 12th grade.

Are you a high school student who wants to stand out on college applications, sharpen your leadership and debate skills, and connect with other ambitious students across the country?

Join a One-of-a-Kind, Totally Free, Online Civics & Debate Club

Ambassador Scholarships

A special opportunity for High School Seniors participating in the O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Civics & Debate Club.

This year, eligible students have the opportunity to be considered for the national John Jay Fetzer Memorial Scholarship, as well as five additional $5,000 scholarships for Arizona students made possible through the Deloitte Foundation Arizona Scholars Program. Both scholarships aim to honor Arizona students selected by the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for academic achievement, leadership, strong civic knowledge, and excellence in respectful debate.

Explore Scholarship Opportunities

Civics Challenge

The Civics Challenge is for middle and high school students in 6th-12th grades.

Are you a budding cinematographer or songwriter? The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute is proud to invite middle and high school students to use their creativity in the annual Civics Challenge. Students can earn $500 and help their peers learn more about civics through videos and original songs!

Enter the Civics Challenge

Past is Prologue Essay Contest

The American Battle Monuments Foundation (ABMF) Past Is Prologue Essay Contest is now open for 2026 submissions. This annual national competition invites students ages 11–18 to explore pivotal moments in American military history and reflect on how those lessons continue to shape our world today.

2026 Theme
In honor of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, this year’s contest asks students to examine the alliance with France during one of four historical periods:

• The American Revolution
• Post-Revolution through Post-Civil War
• World War I – Battle of Meuse-Argonne
• World War II – Operation OVERLORD

Deadline: May 3, 2026 (10:00 PM MDT)
Eligibility: Students ages 11–18 (including homeschool students)

Prizes

1st Place: $10,000
2nd Place: $5,000
3rd Place: $2,500

This contest offers an excellent opportunity to strengthen students’ research, writing, and critical thinking skills while connecting classroom learning to meaningful real-world reflection.

Learn More and Apply Here

Journal of Arizona History

The Journal of Arizona History invites readers to explore Arizona’s past through vivid stories, meaningful connections, and our state’s rich heritage. Published quarterly by the Arizona Historical Society, the journal brings to life everything from early Indigenous histories and frontier communities to statewide milestones and Arizona’s place in broader American stories. As our nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, the journal offers a meaningful way to see how Arizona’s own history intersects with the arc of the American experience through engaging articles, timelines, object spotlights, and explorations of historic places. Whether you are a lifelong Arizonan or simply curious about the Southwest, it is an incredible way to dive into the stories that make this place unique!

Discover Arizona’s Stories

A person holding an open book sits closely beside a smaller individual who is leaning in to look at the pages. The larger individual is wearing a long‑sleeved shirt, and the smaller individual is wearing light‑colored clothing. Both are seated on a soft surface indoors, with neutral walls and soft lighting in the background. The book is held with both hands and appears to have a light green cover with small graphic elements on it.

Read250

In partnership with participating public libraries, Arizonans of all ages are encouraged to read 25 books or 250 minutes in 2026. Readers may receive bookmarks and stickers, while supplies last. This project is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Find a Library Near You

A stylized graphic illustration featuring two raised hands. One hand holds a blue rectangular sign with the word VOTE in large orange letters. The hands are rendered in a halftone dot pattern with solid‑colored sleeves in orange and blue. A vertical blue checkmark appears on the left side of the design, and an orange exclamation mark appears near the center. The background is white with clean, modern graphic elements.

Vote250

This program aims to support voter registration efforts, with an exciting goal of having 250 organizations or individuals host voter registration drives by 2026. We provide toolkits with all the information needed. Let’s make history together!

Lead a Voter Registration Drive

A stylized illustration featuring tall green saguaro cacti painted in watercolor against a textured beige background. At the top left, a blue line-drawn hummingbird hovers near a small red line-drawn desert flower. Over the cacti, bold script text reads ‘Dear America’ in white with a dark blue outline. Below it, smaller block text in red reads ‘Love Arizona.

Dear America, Love Arizona

Invite your students to help Arizona tell its story!
The Arizona America250 Commission offered classrooms a free, ready-to-use activity that encourages students to reflect on what they love about Arizona and their hopes for our nation’s future.

Download Lesson Plans and Toolkits

Request window is now closed.

Look for the Dear America, Love Arizona postcards on the

Road to 250: Arizona Traveling Museum!

What Happened in AZ? With Arizona PBS

What Happened in AZ?

2026 marks 250 years since the founding of the United States. But while British colonists were declaring their independence in the east, what was happening here? Each Friday, Arizona PBS is sharing a peek into the past that shows what life was like here, in what’s now Arizona, at the time of the American Revolution.

Stay Tuned to Learn More About “What Happened in AZ?” Each Week

Historic Preservation Youth Council

The Arizona America250 Commission and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) are proud to support the Arizona Heritage Preservation Youth Council (HPYC), a youth‑led initiative created by high school students. After the success of the Preserve America Youth Summit, students proposed forming a statewide council to learn about Arizona’s history and engage in hands‑on preservation work. Through leadership development, service projects, and support for the Commission’s Semiquincentennial efforts, HPYC members will help preserve Arizona’s heritage while gaining unique opportunities to engage with their communities.

Learn How Students are Preserving Arizona History

Multi-State and National Initiatives

A group of individuals sits outdoors around a table covered with plates of food, glasses, and serving dishes. In the foreground, one person extends a small plate of food toward another person who is reaching to accept it. Additional people are visible in the background, standing near the table. The setting appears to be a casual outdoor meal with greenery visible beyond the gathering.

America’s Potluck

America’s Potluck is an opportunity for neighbors to join with one another to share a fun, communal meal on July 5, 2026, creating a sense of connection and belonging.

Learn More

Planning on hosting?
Pin Your Potluck on a Nationwide Map!

A graphic design featuring a black vinyl record on a bright red background. The record has a blue center label with the text America 250. Curved red, white, and blue ribbon-like stripes sweep diagonally across the background. Below the record, white text reads America’s Soundtrack, with smaller text underneath that reads The Sound of 250 Years. A small red heart icon appears to the right of the title. At the bottom of the graphic is a horizontal audio player bar with standard media control icons, including shuffle, back, play/pause, forward, and playlist buttons.

America's Soundtrack

America’s Soundtrack is a nationwide celebration of the music that tells our story. As part of the broader commemoration leading up to America’s 250th anniversary, this initiative invites Americans to reflect on the songs that have shaped our shared history — anthems that have united us in moments of triumph, comforted us in times of challenge, and defined generations. From timeless classics to contemporary hits, America’s Soundtrack honors the artists, genres, and cultural movements that form the living, breathing soundtrack of our nation.

Stream America’s Soundtrack on YouTube

America Gives

America Gives is an initiative that challenges businesses, non-profits, schools, youth groups, faith-based networks, and organizations of all kinds to commit to increasing their level of volunteering and impact starting on January 1, 2026. Together, we will build on America’s legacy of giving back and inspire a renewed culture of service for years to come.

Make Your Pledge

Find Volunteer Opportunities in Arizona:

JustServe

HandsOn Greater Phoenix

Arizona Lions Clubs

District 5495 Rotary Arizona

Honoring America’s Veterans

Idealist

Points of Light

A person in the center of the image is wearing a virtual reality headset, padded gloves, and a vest with circular electronic components on the front. The individual is standing with arms extended while connected cables run from the equipment. Surrounding this person are others wearing event badges and casual clothing. One individual on the right is holding a handheld device with a mounted camera or sensor. Another person on the left is wearing a bright yellow shirt. The background shows a large indoor event space with carpeting, overhead lighting, and other attendees moving around. A green tote bag labeled GlocalMe is hanging from one person’s shoulder. A table in the foreground displays additional padded gear or equipment.

America Innovates

Innovation has always been a defining part of the American story. Founded in partnership with Leidos, America Innovates is a nationwide celebration and showcase of 250 years of American innovation and ingenuity designed to inspire the next generation of American innovators and entrepreneurs through tech expos and a national competition called America’s Startup.

Don’t miss our first America Innovates event, hosted in partnership with Forbes, May 16-18, 2026. The event will be a free, open to the public, for all ages, three-day experience featuring an immersive walk-through exhibit highlighting innovations of the past, present, and future, along with livestreamed on-stage conversations with leaders across industries, including honorees of the Forbes list of 250 greatest living American innovators.

Learn More and Register

Our American Story

Our American Story is a storytelling project to collect and preserve our nation’s unique stories. We’re on a historic journey to collect the largest archive of American stories ever created.

This is your opportunity to nominate a living person — a friend, family member, neighbor, or community leader — whose story you think needs to be shared and preserved.

Nominate a Story

A large, oversized American flag made from red and white fabric panels is spread out across a grassy park area. The panels contain handwritten notes or messages. Several individuals are walking or working on the surface of the flag, while others stand or sit in the background near trees, bicycles, and a waterfront visible through the trees. The scene is bright and sunny, with green foliage and open sky.

My America

MY AMERICA is a nationwide, youth-driven art and civic engagement campaign that will honor our past, reflect on our present, and inspire our future. Through artistic expression, civic action, and public commemoration, MY AMERICA will empower young people across all 50 states to reflect on what unity, democracy, and being American means today by creating a large mosaic of an American flag made up of thousands of individual tiles with messages, drawings, poems.

This project is designed for young people, grades K-12. Schools, youth groups, and community organizations across the United States are encouraged to join. Each kit contains the fabric tiles, a pre-paid postage form to return the tiles, and instructions.

Request a FREE Kit

Completed tiles must be received no later than October 1, 2026

A historic-style parchment document of the Declaration of Independence is displayed vertically against a dark blue background. The parchment is aged in appearance, with a warm tan color and darker edges. The heading reads IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776, followed by dense handwritten text covering most of the page. Signatures appear in several grouped sections at the bottom. Decorative elements around the border of the background include a strip of light blue with dark stars near the top and small red and blue graphic accents along the edges.

Moments that Made US

Moments That Made US is a free, customizable, print-on-demand exhibition exploring the ideals at the heart of the Declaration of Independence through moments in our history that have defined their meaning.

Get Started

A person stands indoors holding a folded American flag in both hands. Behind the individual is a row of military service flags displayed on stands, including flags for different branches of the United States Armed Forces. The person is wearing a dark long‑sleeved top with a zippered collar and a cap. In the foreground, decorative elements shaped like letters are partially visible, covered in green foliage. The setting appears to be a ceremonial or commemorative event.

Flag Sojourn 250

Flag Sojourn 250 is a national journey carrying an American flag across the full breadth of the nation—to all 50 states, every U.S. territory, and every U.S. military cemetery overseas. The program is hosted by the National Flag Foundation, an official America250 Programming Partner.

The journey culminates as the flag passes through the 13 original colonies and concludes in Washington, D.C., marking a powerful moment of remembrance, honor, and unity at the heart of the nation.

Follow the Flag

July 4 Moments

In 2026, America celebrates — together. From fireworks and concerts to unforgettable gatherings across the country, America250 will spark five days of shared moments from July 1 to July 5, made possible by a Saturday Fourth of July. With signature events in New York City, Philadelphia, North Dakota, and California, plus Main Street celebrations nationwide, the Semiquincentennial will come alive in communities everywhere.

Experience the Celebration

A nighttime city skyline featuring One World Trade Center and tall modern buildings illuminated against a deep blue and purple sky. The tallest skyscraper in the center is lit from bottom to top in red, white, and blue horizontal sections. Additional buildings on either side also display vertical bands of bright white and blue lights. The scene highlights an urban landscape with reflective windows and distinctive rooftop shapes.

Light to Unite

As America approaches its 250th birthday, the National Flag Foundation is calling on Americans to rise in a resounding display of unity and patriotism. “Light to Unite” is more than a campaign—it is a rallying cry for all Americans to fly the Stars and Stripes with pride on July 4, 2026. And, as night falls across the nation, citizens are encouraged to light up buildings and landmarks in red, white, and blue. From the heart of bustling cities to the quiet streets of small towns, the vision is bold: a nation aglow, not just in color, but in shared mission and remembrance. These lights will symbolize our past sacrifices, our present resilience, and our unwavering hope for the future.

Learn More

A person is kneeling beside a large mechanical device that appears to be a scanning or imaging machine. The device has a rectangular glass surface held within a metal frame, positioned at an angle, with a page or document visible underneath the glass. The machine is mounted on a blue wheeled platform with multiple exposed components, including wiring, metal supports, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, and various electronic parts. The individual is adjusting or examining a component beneath the angled surface. The scene takes place in an indoor workspace with a neutral-colored wall and carpeted floor.

America's Time Capsule

America’s Time Capsule is a once-in-a-generation national record created to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Led by America250, this official project will preserve a representative snapshot of the United States at 250 years to be seen in 2276, when America celebrates its 500th anniversary. On July 4, 2026, the capsule will be ceremonially buried at Independence National Historical Park, where it will remain sealed for 250 years as an enduring gift from today’s Americans to future generations.

The capsule will contain a carefully curated collection of letters and artifacts representing American life in 2026. Current plans include contributions from all three branches of the U.S. federal government and submissions from each of the 56 states and territories. Cultural touchstones, including items from major national events and student submissions from America250 programs, will help paint a broader portrait of the country. Together, these materials will create an authentic and nationally representative record of leadership, community, and culture at this defining moment.

Read the Enacting Law

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