This exciting challenge, created by the America 250 NC team, invites fourth-grade students from across North Carolina to design county flags that reflect how they see their region of the state. Participation is free and optional, but strongly encouraged!
Our goal is to inspire students to think critically about local history, culture, and geography through symbolism while establishing relationships between local families, school systems, and county committees. The included worksheets and educational resources will provide support for North Carolina teachers to incorporate the 250th anniversary of the nation into their curriculum on local North Carolina history.
The flag designs and essays created will not only showcase student creativity but also provide a lasting legacy of their county during this moment in time. Participation allows students the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful and public-facing community project.
Project Phases
By September 15, 2025, each county that would like to be part of the County Flag Challenge should register to participate via our Registration Form.
Please note: This form is for participating counties, not for individual schools, school systems, or entries. Please contact your county committee if you would like to participate. If you are unsure if your county is participating or how to get in touch with them, please email Chelsea.Kiefer@dncr.nc.gov.
By October 17, 2025, each county participating in the challenge will contact their local schools to invite them to enter the challenge with their fourth grade students!
How to contact school leadership:
- County and local school boards
- Curriculum Specialists
- Principals of each elementary schools
Let us know if you need help locating county resources to reach out to schools in your specific county by emailing Chelsea.Kiefer@dncr.nc.gov.
Teachers should work with their fourth grade students, using the America 250 NC worksheet and template, to complete their county flag design and essay. This can be done as homework, in classroom assignment, or over a school break. Our hope is that teachers are able to incorporate the flag challenge into classroom lessons around local history, and that students can be proud of that their artwork will be a reminder of this moment in their county's past.
To prepare for the contest, please take some time to speak with your students about ideas such as local history, culture, and symbolism.
We also would like students to understand what America 250 NC is and why we are commemorating the 250th anniversary. We have various educational resources on our website in which you are free to plan a lesson around before introducing the flag challenge. Learn more on our For Educators page
Each submission must be returned with a signed media release form from the child’s legal guardian granting permission for the child’s first name, name of school, and work to be distributed to a public audience. Please have each submission back to your school leadership in time for them to send submissions to your county committee by February 1, 2026.*
Your county committee contact can advise you on the process in which they are holding the voting. Each county will vote for their own winner and they will send the winning submission to America 250 NC.
All winners will be displayed on the America 250 NC website, and the winners’ page will be highlighted in the America 250 NC newsletter, blog, and on social media.
Please feel free to advertise this contest widely in your school and community. We hope for heavy participation and excitement around deciding how your county should be remembered.
*Please Note: February 1, 2026, is the date when schools must have their submissions to their county contact. Not a deadline for teachers to send to their leadership. Please have them returned before this date.
By February 1, 2026, all schools must have their students' entries submitted to their county contact. The contact and how to submit should have been arranged when counties invited schools to participate. If you are unsure where to send your submissions, please email Chelsea.Kiefer@dncr.nc.gov for assistance.
Please note: Each entry must include a flag design, short essay, and signed media release.
Between February 1 and March 1, 2026, counties can, in anyway they determine, vote for a winner and at least one runner up out of their county's flag submissions. To be qualified, each entry must have a flag design, short essay, and signed media release form.
We intend to allow each county committee to come up with a plan for the voting process and selection of their county’s winning design. However, we are here to assist if you need help with the process. We can also facilitate a group meeting if county leads would like to discuss the voting process.
Some suggestions:
- Hold a meeting and allow county committee members to vote on their favorite
- Post each design on social media and allow followers to “like” a photo to vote for their favorite
- Have each photo at a local event and allow members of the public to vote while attending
- Coordinate with another grade level at local schools to allow additional local children to participate by voting
- Create an online album with each submission numbered and create a survey to email out to parents, teachers, and staff at participating schools to allow them to vote for their favorite
Feel free to reach out to us at Chelsea.Kiefer@dncr.nc.gov and let us know the number of submissions you received and we can assist with voting suggestions.
By March 1, 2026, counties must submit their winning flag entry and at least one runner up to America 250 NC via our Winners Submission Form.
Optional: At this time, counties may also inform all participating schools of the winner and runner up entries.
By April 15, 2026, America 250 NC will list all participating county's winning entries on our website. A blog post, with link to the winners, will be posted by May 1, 2026. Between April 16 and June 30, 2026, America 250 NC will make various social media posts highlighting winning and runner up entries. The blog post and winner's page will be highlighted in the June 2026 America 250 NC newsletter.
County Flag Challenge Project Guide
Use this printable project guide to learn more about the County Flag Challenge! Feel free to email it to any participating committee members, schools, teachers, or leadership.
Teacher & Student Packet
Download this printable packet that includes instructions, worksheets, and templates for teachers and students to complete the challenge.
