National History Day - College Park,MD —
The National History Day program is one of the best opportunities available for secondary students. Most states have a state coordinator and state contests. Those who seriously participate often have experiences that will last a lifetime. The order of competition differs in some states. It is a contest - but more it is an experience. Categories include Paper (standard reseach paper), Documentary, Performance, Exhibit, and Web Page. The later four can be either individual or groups of 2-5. Paper is limited to individual. Rules and guidelines are available on the national website - nhd.org. It is open to all students in grades 6 through 12 including public school, private school, religious schools, home schools, etc. It enhances the history education of the students but it also helps with research skills, organizational skills, etc. They have great programs to help teachers at the national level and at many state levels. The national contest is the second week of June on the campus of the Univeristy of Maryland in College Park, MD (right next to Washington, DC. State contest dates vary by state. To find the state coordinator look on the national website for the link. I highly recommend National History Day to any secondary student and teacher.