HOUGHTON, Mich. — Since 1989, the Houghton and Hancock communities have come together each fall to celebrate the cultural richness of the Keweenaw during the beloved Parade of Nations. With the 2025 event scheduled for Saturday, September 20, the Parade of Nations planning committee invites local students to get involved early through two special opportunities: a Logo Design Contest and a $1,000 Essay Scholarship Contest.

This year’s Parade of Nations theme–“Games Around the World”–celebrates the universal language of play and how games unite people of all cultures and backgrounds. In that spirit, students are encouraged to reflect this theme in their artwork.

Logo Design Contest

Local K-12 students are invited to design the official logo for the 2025 Parade of Nations. The winning design will be featured on posters, t-shirts, and promotional materials for this year’s event. Last year’s winner, Isabella Tampas from Lake Linden Schools, created a vibrant design that was celebrated across the community. Logo winners will win $300 and logo on merchandise and media.

Guidelines:

�–� The logo should be submitted either as: Max 5 color design, using solid colors and no shading on untextured white paper or Hi-res digital scan/upload of original artwork (at least 300 dpi).

�–� The designer should sign their name outside the main artwork.

�–� Any graphics must be original and not downloaded from the web.

�–� Email submissions to ips@mtu.edu

Essay Scholarship Contest

High school seniors from a local high school (detailed in Google Form) who plan to attend Michigan Technological University in Fall 2025 are eligible to enter the Parade of Nations Essay Contest for a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship toward MTU tuition. The 2025 essay prompt is:

“Our community becomes stronger when people from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together. How have you built connections with

individuals different from you? How can you contribute to the togetherness for all students at Michigan Tech?”

This scholarship highlights the core mission of the Parade of Nations: to celebrate multiculturalism and ethnic diversity in the Keweenaw and to remind us how much we share while learning to value our differences. Essays can be submitted online. For more information or to enter either contest, visit the Parde of Nations website.