The Skillman Foundation

The Skillman Foundation is proud to partner with The Parade Company for the 100th annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White. For over 34 years, the Foundation has sponsored the creation of a parade float designed by a Detroit student. The contest is designed to inspire students to use their imaginations and bring this year’s theme to life: If I Could Build a School.

Detroit youth are invited to let their imaginations soar as they dream big and imagine a school where learning and fun come together in amazing ways. The contest encourages any 4th through 8th-grade student enrolled in a Detroit Public School or Detroit Charter School to use their creativity to design and share their vision. Remote learners may also participate.

Students are asked to think about the places where they would learn, read, play, explore, and create. Would your school have bright colors, cozy spaces, cool technology, or fun classrooms for science, math, and art?

Six winners will be chosen, with one grand prize winner and five honorable mentions. The grand prize winner will have their art made into a larger-than-life float for the 2026 America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White. The winning student, accompanied by a parent or guardian, will ride on their float down Woodward Avenue on the morning of the parade. Hotel accommodations will be provided at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center the night before. Additionally, the winner will receive a certificate for a tour of The Parade Company, followed by a pizza party for up to 10 guests. All six winning students, along with their families, teachers, and principals, will be invited to attend The Parade Company’s press conference, where their drawings will be honored, and the grand prize float will be unveiled.

How to Submit

• All submissions must be received by Thursday, October 2, 2026
• Students must be in Grades 4-8 and be enrolled in a Detroit Public School or Detroit Charter School
• Drawings must be colorful and on 8.5″ x 11″ paper; any licensed characters such as Disney and Nickelodeon will not be accepted
• Submissions can be emailed or mailed
  • Email: Attach a clear photo of the student’s hand-drawn design, with the below information, to: aavig@theparade.org.
  • Mail: Drawings can be mailed directly to the following address:
    Skillman Float Design Contest
    The Parade Company
    9500 Mt. Elliott, Studio A
    Detroit, Michigan 48211 
• Submissions must include the following information written in the body of an email/letter or completed on this application form.
  • Student name, grade, age, and shirt size
  • School or program name and address
  • Title of the float design
  • Contact person’s name, email address, phone number, and relation to student
• Please note that mailed entries will not be returned

Questions?

Contact Amber Avig from The Parade Company at aavig@theparade.org.