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History Day in Arksansas

It's not just a day . . .it's an experience!

The History Day program offers exciting ways to study history and learn about issues, ideas, people, and events that interest you. History Day provides an opportunity to express what you have learned through creative and original dramatic performances, media presentations, research papers, exhibits, or websites.Through History Day students will gain knowledge as well as learn the skills and techniques of the historian. At district, state, and national competitions, each student will meet students from other schools, exchange ideas, and demonstrate the results of their work.History Day in Arkansas is part of the National History network. The first and second place winners of the state contest advance to the national competition.Students who participate in History Day gain skills they will use the rest of their lives:

  • Learn the research process used by professional historians.
  • Develope communication skills.
  • Gain expert knowledge in historical subjects.
  • Meet new people and make new friends.
  • Experience the excitement of competition.

Divisions

The National History Day competition has two divisions, according to school grade:

  • Junior Division for grades 6, 7, and 8
  • Senior Division for grades 9, 10, 11, and 12

Categories

Students as individuals or in groups of two-to-five peers may enter one of the four categories:

  • Paper (individual only)
  • Documentary (videotape, slides, overheads, computer, audio tape, combinations)
  • Performance
  • Exhibit
  • Website

The History Day in Arkansas Program is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and The National Endowment for the Humanities. It is also sponsored by the University of Central Arkansas and the Arkansas Association of College History Teachers. It involves collaboration between teachers, students, historians in colleges and universities, and other museums, historical societies and archives.

 

What Is History Day?

National History Day is not just a day, but every day! The National History Day program is a year-long education program that culminates in a national contest every June. For more than twenty-five years the National History Day program has promoted systemic educational reform related to the teaching and learning of history in America's schools. The combination of creativity and scholarship built into the NHD program anticipated current educational reforms, making National History Day a leading model of performance-based learning.NHD is a year-long education program that engages students in grades 6-12 in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. Students produce dramatic performances, imaginative exhibits, multimedia documentaries and research papers based on research related to an annual theme. These projects are then evaluated at local, state, and national competitions.

 

Why Participate?

Many different people participate in the NHD program:
• Students
• Teachers
• Colleges and Universities
• Libraries, Museums, and Archives
• Community Businesses

The NHD program serves as a vehicle to teach students important literacy skills and to engage them in the use and understanding of museum and library resources. The program inspires students to study local history, and then challenges them to expand their thinking and apply knowledge of local events to the national, or even worldwide scene. The program also teaches students to become technologically literate through the use of computer and Internet research methods, and the use of technologically advanced applications in their presentations. "The true benefits from participating in National History Day go way past a certificate or medal. The program teaches kids the writing, analytical understanding, and reading comprehension skills that will make them a success in life, no matter what their career," states parent Susan Moose.