To say that this Social Studies teacher is excited for the Semiquincentennial, America’s 250th birthday, is an understatement. Even before being named the 2026 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year, I approached planning for the 2024-2027 school years, with Revolutionary milestones in mind, knowing they would be some of the most memorable years of my career. Field trips, guest speakers, essay and oration competitions, zoom calls with national historic organizations, costumes, simulations, reenactments, and even an upcoming parade float are all part of what we are enthusiastically doing in Andover, New Hampshire.
New Hampshire holds the “First in the Nation” distinction, a point of pride but also a responsibility. I believe deeply in the power of our schools, our educators, our union, and our students. Every day, teachers across New Hampshire prepare the next generation not only to understand the past, but to shape the future. They are our Democracy in action.
Quote byMegan Philbrook, 2026 NH Teacher of the Year, Andover EA
America’s 250th birthday should not simply be a moment to look backward. It is an opportunity to ask what kind of citizens we are preparing for the next 250 years and whether our legacy will be rooted in civic virtue.
Our students are future leaders, innovators, and community builders. The semiquincentennial offers schools a rare chance to make civic learning tangible, celebratory, and relevant. This anniversary is not just about fireworks and flags. It is a chance for students to see that history is alive, complicated, unfinished, and connected to their own lives.
If done well, we can become a statewide civics project that asks students not only where we have been, but where they hope to go next. Last summer, Team 250 for New Hampshire schools began meeting monthly. Discussing resources, activities, professional development, and ways in which schools can be supported. From there, partnerships formed and planning took off! You will see our logo on social media campaigns from the New Hampshire Department of Education.
Some of the most meaningful celebrations may come from simple classroom moments, though. As teachers establish classroom norms in the fall of 2026, why not host a classroom Constitutional Convention? Students could draft a class contract, debate expectations, and collectively determine the rules that guide their learning community. Have students sign their final classroom constitution with oversized feather pens on Constitution Day and amend it throughout the year as needed.
For younger learners, these rituals make civic ideas exciting and accessible. Even our youngest students deserve to feel connected to this historic moment.
Middle and high school students are ready for authentic, out-of-the-classroom and school-building civics opportunities that connect learning to their communities. Schools can partner with libraries, museums, and town offices to create place-based learning rooted in New Hampshire history. Students can research untold local stories, interview community leaders, curate exhibits, or design walking tours highlighting local contributions to the American story.
Teachers do not have to start from scratch. Resources from National History Day, iCivics, the Bill of Rights Institute, American Revolution Institute, American Battlefield Trust, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the National Constitution Center, Digital Inquiry Group, and Discovery Education’s America 250 toolkit already provide lessons, contests, and engaging materials (there are many, many more too). These resources also make the celebration interdisciplinary. Social studies classes can anchor historical inquiry, English classes can examine speeches and primary sources, art students can create commemorative displays, and STEM classrooms can explore 250 years of American innovation.
New Hampshire also has extraordinary local resources. Find pre-colonial Native American History through modern-day resources using Moose on the Loose curricula! The New Hampshire Historical Society offers rich learning experiences and school visits. The New Hampshire State House remains one of our state’s most powerful civic classrooms, allowing students to witness government in action. Consider a field trip there or plan to witness a Naturalization Ceremony. NH Civics has a wealth of resources (field trip grant, anyone?!). The New Hampshire Bar Association connects legal professionals with schools to discuss the Constitution and the judicial system, while organizations like the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire help students engage with stories that deepen our understanding of the American experience.
America’s 250th anniversary is not an invitation for simplistic patriotism. It is an invitation for reflection, celebration, complexity, and hope. Our students are more than capable of engaging with both pride and nuance. They can celebrate our nation’s founding ideals while also examining whose stories were excluded, how rights expanded over time (hello, Secretary of State’s amazing March Madness bracket), and what work remains unfinished.
That is civic education at its best.
If we approach this anniversary with creativity, intention, and a commitment to student voice, we can ensure every scholar feels connected to this historic moment. America’s first 250 years are the story we teach, but the next 250 belong to them.
My hope is that New Hampshire students leave this Semiquincentennial not simply knowing more history, but feeling empowered by it. I hope they see themselves as future voters, leaders, advocates, creators, and problem solvers who can shape the future of their communities and country. In Andover, New Hampshire, we are neighbors serving neighbors with an emphasis on ‘service’. Collectively, I know that is already our mission as educators.
New Hampshire has always embraced the responsibility of being first.
Now, let us help our students imagine what comes next.
Megan Philbrook is the 2026 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year. She teaches social studies at Andover Elementary School and is available to talk to you if you need help deciding what and how to celebrate and commemorate the Semiquincentennial!
