History Day

. . . is a yearlong educational activity for grades 6 - 12 that encourages young people to explore history and teaches them to understand historical issues, ideas, people, and events.

NHD develops student skills in: research and writing problem solving investigation of primary source materials critical thinking discovery and analysis of Internet sources cooperative learning interviewing

Program participants conduct in-depth research on individual topics related to an annual theme. Advancing through local, regional, state, and national competitions, students present their findings in formats ranging from traditional research papers to museum-type exhibits, live dramatic performances, and multimedia documentaries.

About the National History Day in Missouri Program

National History Day in Missouri (NHDMO) is a yearlong history education program, sponsored by the State Historical Society of Missouri and the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia, at the University of Missouri. The program encourages young people to explore history and teaches them to understand historical issues, ideas, people and events.

Participants conduct in-depth research on individual topics related to an annual theme and present their findings in one of several formats -- exhibit, performance, documentary, website, or research paper -- designed to foster creativity and imagination. These presentations are evaluated at a series of local, state and national contests.

Annually, more than 2,600 Missouri students in grades 6-12 participate in local and regional competitions throughout the state, with more than 500 advancing to the state contest at the University of Missouri-Columbia in April. This year's theme is "The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies."  The state contest will be held on April 4, 2009 at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Each June, 45-50 Missouri students compete with  more than 2,000 of the best and brightest from across America at the national contest in College Park, Maryland.