Community News Detail

On April 6th the US NAVY will be commissioning a new submarine the USS NEW JERSEY at NAVAL BASE EARLE. The Commissioning Committee is sponsoring a USS NJ Commissioning Coin Contest, with one winner from each county.

To celebrate the spring 2024 commissioning of the USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796), the newest nuclear submarine in the US Navy, we invite students from New Jersey to participate in a “challenge coin” design contest. The contest is open to all high school and middle school students who are residents of New Jersey and enrolled in a public or private school. The coin design should reflect the theme of New Jersey's military history, and honor the legacy of the USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) and its predecessors (VIRGINIA Class Battleship BB 16, and IOWA Class Battleship BB 62).

The contest will take place in the fall of 2023. Each student can submit one entry, either individually or as part of a team of up to three students. The entry should include a sketch or drawing of the coin design, along with a brief explanation of its symbolism and significance. The coin design should fit within a circle of 2 inches in diameter and reflect the reverse (back) of the coin. The NEW JERSEY Commissioning Committee (a non-profit organization overseeing the commissioning event) will design the obverse (front) of the coin. Deadlines should be October 31, 2023.

The entries will be judged by each of New Jersey’s 21 county's school selection committees as established by the county School Superintendent based on the following criteria: originality, creativity, relevance, clarity, and quality. Each county will select one winner and one runner-up by November 30, 2023.

The NEW JERSEY Commissioning Committee will select the overall state winner from the list of each county winner in January 2024. The state winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and a trip to attend the commissioning ceremony in April 2024. The winning coin design will be minted and distributed as a souvenir to select attendees at the ceremony. The winning design will also be featured on the official website and social media accounts of the NEW JERESY Commissioning Committee.

The winning design from each county will be displayed at the commissioning ceremony, along with the name and school of the student or team who created it. Each county winner will also be recognized during commissioning week ceremonies and receive a commemorative plaque featuring their own design.

We encourage all high school and middle school students from New Jersey to showcase their artistic talent and patriotic spirit by joining this coin design contest. This is a unique opportunity to be part of history and honor the brave men and women who serve on the USS New Jersey and defend our nation.

NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) Commissioning Committee