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The Albion Center for Professional Development at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ is helping to ensure ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ teachers and students have a front-row seat to America’s 250th birthday, happening in 2026. 

As the sole prize sponsor of the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Department of Education’s Spirit of the United States Monthly Classroom Competition, the Albion Center is proud to bring extra excitement and recognition to ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ classrooms by providing all of the prizes for the competition. 

"We’ll only celebrate America’s 250th birthday once and we want to help ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ educators and students to be part of it," said Matt Freeman, Executive Director of Relations for the Albion Center for Professional Development. "Sponsoring the competition prizes ensures each participating classroom gets to enjoy this historic celebration."

Participating classrooms will receive a prize pack containing a coloring book, shoelaces, magnet, sticky notes, lapel pin, bookmark, button pin, and sticker sheet in September 2025. Each month, teachers will share a 10-15 minute lesson plan about an American value. Students will then have the chance to create a personal project about that value such as a drawing, written piece, or multimedia creation. One student from each class will receive a prize for creating the top project that reflects that month’s American value. 

In addition, a $100 Visa gift card will be awarded each month to a winning classroom in both the K–5 and 6–12 classrooms. Winners are selected through a raffle of submitted student artwork. Visa gift cards will be given to teachers and can be used to celebrate special occasions or support classroom activities, such as pizza parties.

To further celebrate student contributions, two additional winners will be drawn in December and two in May from all submitted artwork, one from elementary grades (K–5) and one from middle and high school grades (6–12). Thanks to a partnership with IDeal, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s 529 College Savings Program, two K-5 students will receive a $250 college savings account, for a total of $500 in scholarship funds donated by IDeal. Additionally, two 6-12 students will receive a $500 college savings account, for a total of $1,000 in scholarship funds provided by the Albion Center.

In addition to sponsoring prizes, the Albion Center will launch a new 100% online professional development course titled America 250 in October 2025. The course will help educators connect America’s founding values to historical milestones, current issues, and classroom civic engagement. The 1-credit graduate-level, non-degree course will be offered at only $55. First-time users of the Albion Center receive a free $200 credit upon signing up to use toward professional development courses in our catalog. 

"This is a once-in-a-generation event and we didn’t want to miss an opportunity to teach, honor and celebrate our nation and the principles of its founding," said ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Superintendent Debbie Critchfield. “We’re grateful for the Albion Center’s commitment to ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ students and teachers. Their support makes it possible to bring this unique learning opportunity to classrooms statewide, connecting our history with the skills and creativity our students will carry into the future.”

The Spirit of the United States Monthly Classroom Competition covers a different American value each month:

September: Founding Principles of Democracy (Bill of Rights)
October: Patriotism
November: National Symbols and Documents
January: Equality
February: Liberty
March: Opportunity
April: Civic Duty

To learn more, visit the . To explore additional professional development opportunities, including the Albion Center’s upcoming America 250 course, visit the Albion Center for Professional Development.