Creative Expression Competition

Competition Guidelines

• No names on the front of writing or visual entries.
• Writing | Essay
  • Entries are limited to 250 words.
  • Eligible grade-level categories: K-3, 4-8, 9-12
• Visual | Photography, painting, sketch, or other visual art
  • Artwork size cannot exceed 8.5 x 11.
    • If the artwork is larger than 8.5 x 11, the art will not be able to be displayed in the libraries during December.
  • Horizontal orientation is preferred.
  • Eligible grade level categories: K-3, 4-8, 9-12

A student may submit an entry for both the writing and visual arts categories, but only one entry per person for each category.

Due to the volume of artwork we receive, we are unable to return any of the submitted art or essays.

Judging Criteria

• Writing: Readability, reflection of theme, use of writer’s understanding of cultural experiences
• Visual: Composition, presentation, technique, and subject.

All material presented must be deemed appropriate by judges. All entries that do not meet contest guidelines may be subject to disqualification.

Due to the high number of entries we receive, we are unable to return the artwork to the students. The winning artwork will be showcased here, on the Chandler Unified School District website, and will be shared on social media.

As we cross our paths with 2026, on July 4th, officially it will be 250 years since a pathbreaking document gave birth to the powerful nation, founded on democracy and resilience. The bold declaration transformed thirteen colonies into an emerging nation established on ideas that continue to lead the modern world! As the United States will commemorate its semi-quincentennial anniversary, it isn’t merely to acknowledge America’s history, or even to celebrate independence; rather 2026 invokes a pioneering offshoot of equality, conviction and integrity!

The last hundreds of years has taught the US many values including the various campaigns weighed against unfair laws and unequal suffrage. Hope has yet, unknowingly been the unwavering engine that drove the spirit to strive. Liberty and egalitarianism are inherent rights enriching the nation’s culture and spirit. Our country’s strength lies not in its perfection but in its capacity for renewal. It has been a dynamic journey—each generation has redefined what freedom means, expanding its promise to include more voices and diverse visions. “The pursuit of Happiness” strengthened its roots amongst people seeking opportunity, innovators reimagining the future, and citizens upholding righteousness together.

2026 will bring not only new beginnings but also fresh dreams that usher in determination. For future years to come, we will push our dedication, sincerity and hard work. America’s upcoming chapter will be defined by the pursuit of interdependence—a collective hope that the nation’s progress, pathways and aspiration continue to grow towards a more inclusive and enduring vision of sovereignty.

It’s been 250 years since the U.S. was founded. 250 years since the Declaration of Independence opened our freedom. And 250 years since our dreams created this nation, we call home.

We’re a community, rooted deep in hope, like the U.S.A.’s national oak tree rooted deep in the earth. It stays strong, never withering, just like us when we keep our communities bonded together tightly.

The mighty oak tree isn’t just any random plant that was assigned to our nation. It’s a symbol of American spirit, of strength and endurance, and of those 250 years of hardship and war. This country has been through the worst, yet we’re still here, on top of it all.

We’ve been through the storms, but it merely swayed our branches, failing to uproot our hopes and dreams. We carried the flag through raging lands before, and we will continue to do so should the need arise. The resilience of the oak teaches us that tough times can shape us into stronger communities if we work together instead of breaking apart.

But this milestone of 250 years is not only a recollection of the past, but a start of a future. Trees need water to sustain life, and we need to be open to new things to sustain our communities. The oak tree grows and reaches out to new land; we grow and face new beginnings.

Look at how far we’ve come and look ahead to see how much more we can evolve. We can build upon these roots and embrace new cultures, new identities, and new people; as a result, we can enhance ourselves and be greater than before.

Our diverse communities can only get stronger as we move on. An oak tree’s acorns are beautifully unique, and each one can represent a new generation.

Planting an acorn gives us a new oak tree over time, and with that, we can start more communities that engage more people and bring everyone together. Our hopes and dreams can multiply tenfold and become reality by simply lending out a hand to bring in more ideas.

Improving and extending our community circle takes time and patience, just like how our national tree took years upon years to grow. If we keep planting acorns of kindness and unity, the next 250 years will grow even stronger.

So here’s to 250 years of the U.S., and many more years of eternal freedom of expression.

Hope is the quiet heartbeat beneath history—steady, unseen, yet unyielding. It begins as a seed buried deep in the soil of struggle, watered by courage and reaching for a light it has never seen. For 250 years, this nation has been a living garden of dreams—some scarred, some thriving, all alive. Every generation adds another ring to the tree, proof that growth comes even after storms.

Hope built ships that crossed oceans, carried songs through chains, and ignited revolutions that redefined freedom. It whispered to dreamers who stood in the dark and believed morning would come. Hope doesn’t bloom in comfort—it grows through hardship, cracking the concrete of fear until something green breaks through. It’s the pulse that carried marchers down roads of resistance, the melody that reminded us to rise again, again, and again.

Our roots reach wide—across cultures, languages, and stories—intertwining into something stronger than any single strand. We are not one tree, but a forest of becoming. Each branch stretches toward the same sky, nourished by resilience and love. Even now, when the world feels heavy and uncertain, hope hums quietly beneath it all, reminding us that the story isn’t over.

To be rooted in hope is to know that every ending carries the seed of a beginning. It’s the faith that after every storm, something new dares to bloom. Hope is the bridge, the breath, the rhythm that keeps us dreaming—and dreaming is how we grow.

There have been many generations that have contributed to our world to make a change. So much has happened to our planet that has helped and reshaped our perspective, if not for the courage, determination, and persistence our past leaders have gone through. Because of these important figures, our land is a better place to live in.

The combined hope of many of our respected pioneers gave them a chance to make a difference. From wars to treaties to new developments, the world has transformed. 250 years ago, the American Revolutionary War was beginning. This war wasn’t any regular battle between two forces. It marked America’s relentless fight for independence, and their victory. Ever since then, the little spark of rebellion inspired fighters to start advocating for change and improvement.

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were created shortly after, and the Bill of Rights was added for protection of an individual’s inalienable rights. This was added to protect freedom for the people, one that humans couldn’t live without today. Industrialization and westward expansion started from the 1800s to the 1900s, when the U.S. Civil War fought over state’s rights and the issue of slavery.

The changes didn’t just happen in America, but worldwide too. The two World Wars, Great Depression, and Cold War took place. Then, in the 20th century, decolonization, globalization, and the rise of digital technology occurred.

Although many souls were lost through making our economy modernized, their legacy remains in the history of our nation.

The sound of the ball hitting the court has always been my rhythm. Focused and full of purpose, basketball isn’t just a sport to me; it’s a reflection of everything I’ve learned about resilience, teamwork, and hope.

There are days when I miss shots I’ve practiced a hundred times, when the scoreboard doesn’t show the effort I’ve given. But that’s where hope steps in. It reminds me that growth doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from persistence. The same determination that drives me to run drills late into the evening also pushes me to study harder, to aim higher, and to keep believing in what’s possible.

Hope has rooted itself deeply in who I am, in every comeback, test, and new season. It’s what fuels my dream to play at the next level, while never losing sight of the education that builds my future beyond the court.

For 250 years, this nation’s story has been one of many dreams, and the journey it took was historical. I see that history reflected in every athlete who refuses to give up, in every student who pushes past doubt. My journey may just be beginning, but I’m proud to be part of that legacy. One grounded in faith, in effort, and in the unshakable belief that hope will always find a way to rise.