NHD Program Overview
Program
National History Day is a nonprofit education program that improves the teaching and learning of history in elementary and secondary schools.
Students
NHD makes history come alive for students who participate in the program. The competition is the nation's oldest and most highly regarded humanities contest for students in grades 6 to 12.
Skills
National History Day is one of the rare programs that provides students with critical thinking and research skills in all subject areas. For nearly 30 years, NHD has promoted systemic educational reform related to the teaching and learning of history in America's schools.
Teachers
NHD provides teacher workshops, summer institutes, curriculum materials, and educational resources to enhance classroom curriculum and to help teachers exceed educational standards. The program also rewards innovation and interdisciplinary approaches in the classroom.
Impact
More than nine million students have participated in the NHD program and gone on to careers in business, law, medicine, teaching, and countless other disciplines, where they are putting into practice the skills and knowledge gained through NHD. More than two million people are engaged in the NHD program annually, including 700,000 students, 40,000 teachers, and thousands of judges and other volunteers.
Population Served
National History Day programs are established in 48 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and the Department of Defense Schools. NHD is open to all students in grades 6-12 in public, private, parochial, and home school settings.
Prizes
At the national contest, first-, second-, and third-place winners receive cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250, respectively. The grand prize is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to Case Western Reserve University. Partial tuition scholarships are awarded to Chaminade University (Honolulu, Hawaii), University of Maryland (College Park), and University of Minnesota (Minneapolis). Special prizes are awarded in topic areas such as African American history, colonial history, and women's history. The History Channel awards numerous prizes of up to $5,000 each at the national contest for students and teachers. Prizes also are awarded to outstanding history teachers.