WHAT IS NATIONAL HISTORY DAY?

National History Day is an exciting way for students to study and learn
about historical issues, ideas, people, and events. This year-long
educational program fosters academic achievement and intellectual growth.
In addition to acquiring useful historical knowledge and perspective
during the series of district, state, and national competitions, students
develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help them
manage and use information now and in the future.

Students are encouraged to choose any topic in local, national, or world
history and investigate its historical significance and relationship to
the theme by conducting extensive primary and secondary research. After
analyzing and interpreting their information, students present their
findings in papers, exhibits, performances and media presentations that
are evaluated by historians and educators.

National History Day has two divisions: the junior division (grades 6-8)
and the senior division (grades 9-12). Students can enter one of the
following seven categories: individual paper, individual or group exhibit,
individual or group performance, individual or group documentary. Groups can
consist of two to five students.

District History Day contests are usually held in February or March.
District winners then prepare to compete at the state contest usually
held in early May. The top two finishers in each category at
the state contest become eligible to advance to the national contest held
in June at the University of Maryland at College Park.

BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS

All types of students participate in National History Day--urban and
suburban students; public, private, parochial, and home school students;
bright students and intellectually challenged students.

Students grow academically and intellectually as they integrate the arts,
economics, sciences and other disciplines into a historical presentation.
Researching for an entry enhances reading, comprehension, critical
thinking, and problem-solving skills while fostering pride in each student's
heritage and in our nation's history and place in the world.

Preparing for the competitions heightens written, visual, and performance
presentation skills. The varied formats foster creativity and imagination
in presentations.

By participating in the contests, students develop a more positive
attitude about their potential as learners and as persons. They acquire
confidence and interpersonal skills that are an important part of the
maturing process. Students say they have learned skills that will stay with
them for a lifetime.

BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS

National History Day promotes continuing education for secondary school
teachers. Teacher workshops promote the exchange of ideas in learning and
teaching, building bridges between high school and college educators.
Three-week summer institutes for teachers and media specialists closely
examine global and multicultural aspects of an annual theme. Curricular aids
such as lesson plans and bibliographic guides are provided to all teachers
participating in the contest.

A teacher said on a recent survey, "National History Day encourages
creativity in teaching with an emphasis on critical thinking and problem
solving--a great improvement over traditional teaching methods, making
teaching a more creative, intellectual exercise. The program also provides
teachers public recognition that is rarely extended to them in their
professional lives."

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY OBJECTIVES

To provide history teachers with an innovative teaching tool.

To assist teachers and schools in meeting education standards that
require outcome-based learning activities.

To encourage the study of history by guiding students to express
themselves creatively through presentations of historical topics and
materials in a variety of formats.

To interest students in learning about history by integrating the
materials and methods of social studies, art, literature, language, and
music into their entries.

To develop research and reading skills and to refine presentation
skills in writing, visual projects and performances.

To develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will
help students manage and use information effectively now and in the
future.

To encourage students to develop a sense of history as a process
and change, a multifaceted development over time that affects every aspect
of human life and society.

To get students out of the school building and into the community,
investigating local history.

To involve parents and other members of the community in students'
education.

To expose students to new and exciting educational environments by
holding contests on college campuses and at historical societies.