Projekt NYC Launches Citywide Youth Contests to Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary
- Projekt NYC
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
Nonprofit Invites Sponsors & Judges to Support Creative and Civic Challenges Reaching 912,000 NYC School Students
NEW YORK, NY —
As the Nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, Projekt NYC, a Queens-based youth nonprofit, is announcing a year long series of creative and civic contests that invite NYC public, private & charter school students to define what freedom means to their generation through art, innovation, writing, and advocacy.
Each year, Projekt NYC hosts contests that empower students to share their voices, ideas, and talents. From poetry and photography to financial literacy and law, these programs challenge students to think critically, express themselves creatively, and engage with their communities. Educators are encouraged to use the contests as classroom projects to connect learning with real world impact.
To honor America 250, Projekt NYC’s 2026 contests will center around the theme “What Freedom Means to Me,” reflecting the diverse experiences and aspirations of New York City’s 912,000 NYC School Students.
2026 Contest Lineup Through June
What Freedom Looks Like Art Contest: Opening this month with a deadline for submissions in January. Invites NYC school students in grades K-12 to capture their vision of freedom through photography, illustration, or mixed media. Creative prompts include Freedom in My City, Freedom Within, Freedom & Justice, and Freedom to Dream.
Freedom to Innovate: Future Solutions STEM Challenge, opening in December: Students in middle or high school will capture their vision of “freedom” through innovation, creativity, and STEM thinking. Students can submit individually or as a team and will use STEM to design ideas that expand what freedom can mean in our world. Whether it’s the freedom to breathe clean air, to connect, to move safely through our city, or to build a fairer future, each project should show how innovation can create opportunity and empower change.
A Book That Changed Me Reading Contest: In celebration of National Reading Month in March, students reflect on a book that transformed their perspective or inspired change, encouraging literacy and introspection. This contest will be open for students in grades 4-12.
Freedom to Learn: Financial Literacy Challenge: Teens individually or in groups design a fun, practical mini curriculum to teach middle schoolers financial skills to help younger students understand saving, budgeting, and entrepreneurship in celebration of Financial Literacy month in April.
Know Your Rights: Law & Advocacy Challenge: Encourages youth to research a civic or legal issue and build an advocacy campaign addressing freedom, equality, or safety that affects their generation.
Sports Journalism Contest: Students become reporters of their school’s sports culture, writing compelling stories of teamwork, resilience, and school pride with prize categories including best game coverage, best player profile, and most creative sports feature.
Arts & Performance Journalism Contest: Celebrates student journalists who capture the creativity of school theatre, dance, and music programs, turning the spotlight on performers and the freedom of expression.
A Call for Community Support
All participants will receive Certificates of Appreciation recognizing their creativity and civic engagement. Finalists will be published in the upcoming Projekt NYC Teen Magazine, a citywide publication reaching all 506,000 NYC middle & high school students, educators and parents. Educators who encourage and guide student participation will also be recognized for their advocacy and commitment to student growth through literacy, civic learning, and the arts.
Sponsors will not only have the opportunity to support individual contests and cash prizes but will also be featured in the magazine through advertising space ranging from quarter-page to full-page ads. This provides an exceptional opportunity for community partners to reach NYC’s teen audience while visibly supporting creativity, education, and youth leadership.
Projekt NYC is currently seeking business sponsors, arts patrons, and community leaders to support contest prizes, scholarships, printing, framing, and exhibit materials, as well as judges in fields such as art, journalism, law, STEM, and finance. Sponsors will receive recognition across press materials, social media, printed anthologies, and public exhibits showcasing student work throughout 2026 culminating in a citywide youth art and innovation showcase celebrating America 250.
About Projekt NYC
Projekt NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing middle and high school students into compassionate, engaged, and civic-minded leaders through hands-on service, creative expression, and college-readiness programs. Its initiatives, from poetry anthologies, literacy contests, to teen markets and community cleanups, provide young people with opportunities to create, lead, and serve outside of their classroom. Through this year’s America 250 initiatives, Projekt NYC aims to inspire every NYC teen to see freedom not only as a historic ideal, but as a living practice built through creativity, innovation, and community action.
For more information: Theodore Psahos [Projekt NYC | Founder & Director] info@projektnyc.org www.projektnyc.orgInstagram: @projekt_nyc GiveButter: givebutter.com/projektnyc