Written by Rosie Rios, chair of America250 and 43rd Treasurer of the United States
As we recently celebrated Catholic Schools Week across the country, I am honored to write about what my Catholic school meant to me. I also want to make sure that the Catholic school students of today are aware of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: America’s Field Trip, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
America’s Field Trip is a national scholastic competition for grades 3-12. Any student in these grades can submit a piece of art, essay or poem answering the question, “What Does America Mean to Me?” First-place winners receive a once-in-a-lifetime field trip experience of their choice to iconic American destinations where they will participate in behind-the-scenes tours and special experiences—including the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, National Archives Museum, Kennedy Space Center, and Yellowstone National Park, just to name a few. Second-place winners receive a $500 cash award.
I thought of this scholastic competition as I reflected on the teachers in my Catholic school who inspired me to dream big and grow through knowledge and hard work. My parents came to the U.S. in 1958 from Mexico, but my mother raised us — all nine children — as a single parent. We didn’t have any relatives in the U.S. and I grew up in a challenged neighborhood. Our interaction outside the home was limited, which is why my mom chose to send us to Catholic schools. Our Catholic community is what helped us. It saved us financially. It gave us access to opportunity. It provided structure that put education and community at the center of our learning. My mother sent all nine of us to college on her own, and this incredible accomplishment was due to the foundation built by our Catholic education. Our Catholic community was our saving grace.
My Catholic education was fundamental in shaping me into the person and leader I am today. As the 43rd Treasurer of the United States and the current chair of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, also known as America250—the sole organization charged by Congress to execute the 250th birthday of the United States on July 4, 2026—I am grateful to everything my Catholic education gave me to get me where I am today.
My mom was very deliberate in her intent to expose us to good people in our community. She strove for us to engage with positive contributors to our community and society at large, regardless of socioeconomic status. We relied heavily on our Catholic community and upbringing.
During my eight years as Treasurer, I was introduced to amazing federal agencies across the country that represent the best of America. Fast forward to today, and in my current role as chair of America250, I want to inspire kids to honor our country, as well as introduce more of them to our national treasures. That is how America’s Field Trip was born.
The America’s Field Trip contest is a backstage pass to the best of what our country has to offer, and we want as many students as possible to participate. We know educators play a key role in empowering today’s youth and opening the door to opportunity—that’s why we developed custom tools and resources to assist educators in bringing the America’s Field Trip contest to their classrooms.
The sky is the limit, and I invite all of you to join us on this journey!
