Robert G. Heft designed the 50-star U.S. flag used during the America250 era as a high-school student.
In 1958, Heft created a 50-star flag for a school project while Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood. His teacher initially gave him a low grade, but Heft proposed that the grade be reconsidered if the design were adopted nationally. After Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower selected the arrangement of stars represented by Heft’s design.
The flag officially became the national flag on July 4, 1960. Its 50 stars represent the states, while its 13 stripes represent the original colonies.
The story is often mixed up with Betsy Ross, who is traditionally associated with an early flag but is not documented as the designer of the modern 50-star flag. Francis Hopkinson is credited with contributing to an earlier flag design during the Revolutionary era.