Article excerpt from The Heritage Foundation
Heritage Awards Dr. Matthew Mehan with Innovation Prize in Honor of America’s 250th Anniversary Article excerpt from The Heritage Foundation. WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Heritage Foundation yesterday announced a special round of the 2025 Innovation Prizes, awarding $250,000 to five projects joining Heritage in celebrating America’s 250th anniversary next year. The winners have developed projects that elevate America’s founding principles and foster a deep love of country by building civic awareness, inspiring patriotism, and educating about America’s founding principles.
Dr. Kevin Roberts, president of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action for America, commended the winners:
“At this pivotal moment in American history, on the cusp of our 250th anniversary, the conservative movement is not just celebrating our founding—we're reclaiming our future. The winners of this special round of Innovation Prizes are builders of that future. We’re proud to recognize five projects that have joined Heritage in reviving our founding principles. Together, we can reignite the flame of patriotism that gave life to our great country—and remind Americans that we are standing at the sunrise of a new Golden Age, rooted once more in the permanent things: faith, family, work, sovereignty, and sacrifice.”
Winners of the Innovation Prizes include Cana Academy, the Emergent Order Foundation, the Herzog Foundation, Sophia Institute, and Dr. Matthew Mehan of Hillsdale College for his book with the working title, "The American Family's Book of Fables".
Dr. Matthew Mehan is the Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Government for Hillsdale’s Graduate School of Government. This book is a collection of enriching fables that depict the wildlife, geography, and folklore of America. It features American animals, like the bald eagle, and ecological zones, like the Rocky Mountains, while featuring the actual text of the Declaration of Independence to serve as morals that organize each group of fables.
The Innovation Prizes are intended to spark creative disruption within the conservative movement. The award winners’ projects include creating 250 short documentaries, resources for teachers, celebrations, and fables incorporating the text of the Declaration of Independence and featuring American wildlife, geography, and folklore. To read the full article on The Heritage Foundation’s website, click here.