OK250 Education Contests

• Theme: The poster design should reflect the United States' semi-quincentennial and focus on the theme "Reigniting the American Dream." The work could include Oklahoma's contributions to the United States in the last 250 years, including people, inventions, events, etc., through imagery, a brief message, or both.
• Medium: 2-dimensional work as a large poster. Examples include crayon, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, pen and ink, etc.
• Appropriateness: The content should be respectful and suitable for all audiences.
• Size: The poster should measure 9”x12”. (Winning entries will be enlarged by the Commission to 11”x14”).

• Every school district in Oklahoma is allowed to submit 3 posters to the statewide contest.
• Teachers, administrators, parents, and/or community members will decide the top 3 works to submit to the state contest prior to April 1.
• All works submitted to the state-level contest must have a completed release form submitted with the work.
  • OK250 Contest release form
• Mail the 3 posters and the student release forms to: 
  • Oklahoma State Department of Education 
    Attn: Sharon Morgan
    2500 N. Lincoln Blvd 
    Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Be sure the student's name is written on the back of the poster. All entries must be postmarked on or before April 1, 2026.

• The state contest will be adjudicated in April and winners notified.

• Recognition Event: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be honored May 4, 2026 at an awards event at the Oklahoma State Capitol, including recognition by Governor Stitt, the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and the Oklahoma Senate.
• Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will all receive a Governor's Citation, a Braum’s ice cream scoop coupon, and a cash prize.

All entries must relate to the theme “Reigniting the American Dream” and explain the topic's significance in American history. Students may explore Oklahoma's contributions to the United States in the last 250 years, including people, inventions, events, etc. While entries must relate to the theme, students do not need to address every aspect and may choose a particular person or innovation as their focus.

Students in both middle and high school may choose from the following project categories:

All entries must include:

1. Title Page - Including title, student name(s), division, category, and word counts
2. Annotated Bibliography - Separated into primary and secondary sources with brief annotations explaining how each source was used

• Students may use artificial intelligence to assist with idea generation and structuring. AI can be used for brainstorming, creating structures, and generating ideas for improving work.
• If AI is used, a disclosure statement must be submitted with the entry explaining how AI was used. Link(s) to AI chat(s) must be submitted with the entry.

• Divisions:
  • Middle School Division: Grades 6-8
  • High School Division: Grades 9-12
• Entry Types: Individual or Group (2-5 students) for all categories except Research Paper (individual only)
• Submission Deadline: April 1, 2026
• District Submissions: Each school district may submit up to 3 entries per division (Middle and High) to the statewide contest
• Judging Criteria:
  • History: 50% (research, analysis, theme connection, primary sources, historical context, multiple perspectives, accuracy, significance)
  • Delivery/Presentation: 50% (Overall quality of the material, technical execution, student voice)

• School/District Level (suggested deadline March 15, 2026): Schools and districts determine their top entries to advance to the state contest. Adjudicators may include teachers, administrators, parents, and/or community members.
• Release Form: All works submitted to the state level contest must have a completed release form submitted with the work.
  • OK250 Contest release form
• Entry Form: Enter the top three middle and high school student(s) from your district in this form. 
• State Level (April 2026): Judging conducted by OK250 Commission.
• Awards Ceremony (May 4, 2026): Recognition event at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

State Winners (per division – Middle and High):

• Recognition Event: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be honored May 4, 2026 at an awards event at the Oklahoma State Capitol, including recognition by Governor Stitt, the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and the Oklahoma Senate.
• School Recognition: Schools and districts with state winners receive special recognition from the State Superintendent
• Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will all receive a Governor's Citation, recognition at State Capitol, a Braum’s ice cream scoop coupon, and a monetary prize.

Students participating in this contest will:

• Develop critical thinking and research skills
• Learn to analyze primary and secondary sources
• Gain experience in presenting historical arguments
• Connect Oklahoma and local history to national narratives
• Practice communication and presentation skills
• Engage deeply with the meaning of the American Dream

• List of suggested topics related to Oklahoma and American history
• Additional celebration resources for schools
• Contact information for questions
  • Elizabeth Maughan, Fine Arts Project Manager, elizabeth.maughan@sde.ok.gov
  • Brenda Beymer-Chapman, Social Studies Project Manager, brenda.chapman@sde.ok.gov

• February 1, 2026: Contest officially opens
• March 15, 2026: Recommended school/district contest deadline
• April 1, 2026: State Submission Deadline
• April 2026: State-level judging
• May 4, 2026: Awards ceremony at Oklahoma State Capitol for elementary, middle, and high school winners