Getting Started
First, find out if your school has an NHD program. Actual participation varies from school to school. Some students participate through after-school clubs and scouting programs, others participate as part of their history curriculum and still others participate on their own (with the help of a coach). If your school does not have a program, you need to find a teacher or trusted adult who is willing to act as a coach for the NHD project year. The coaches help their students with time management and serve as mentors as students conduct research and create their projects.
For information on project submissions, please see the 2025 National History Day page.
Before the contest, please read the NHD-OC
Student Handbook to learn more about the NHD-OC contest.
Please review the Contest Guide below for additional information.
Resources and Samples
Here are some resources that will come in handy as you begin working on your NHD project:
Visit the Contest Rules page for additional guidance and information.
For tips on selecting a topic and conducting research, please visit the Project Resources page.
For information regarding NHD Recognition opportunities, please visit the NHD-OC homepage.
2026 Young People's Continental Congress (YPCC) Opportunity
2025 Young People's Continental Congress (YPCC) Opportunity Presented by National History Day and Carpenters' Hall
The Young People's Continental Congress (YPCC) will provide an opportunity for student-teacher teams to study history and civics in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 13-19, 2025. Participants will interact with students and teachers from across the country, explore our nation's founding, and learn how the ideals of the founding era continue to be debated, discussed, and defined over the last 250 years.
To be eligible, students must be enrolled in the tenth or eleventh grade in the 2024-25 academic year. Teachers can teach grades 4-12 from any subject area. School librarians are eligible for this program. Teachers may come from any type of school (public, parochial, charter, private, or homeschool).
Applications are open to students and teachers from any NHD affiliate and are due by Friday, November 1, 2024. The program covers the travel costs (flights, hotels, and meals) for participants.
Interested students and teachers can learn more here. The NHD YPCC page provides program information, application instructions, links to the application, and an array of FAQs that will answer prospective applicants' questions.
Questions?
Please e-mail us at nhdinfo@ocde.us for more information.
