What is History Day?
History Day is a way for students to study history and express what they’ve learned competitively through creative and original dramatic performances, exhibits, documentaries, research papers, or web sites. National research shows that students who participate in History Day perform better on standardized achievement tests than students who do not participate.

The theme for 2009 is “The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies.” All entries must be based on this theme but can focus on an unlimited variety of local, national, or worldwide topics.

There are two divisions: junior (grades 6-8) and senior (grades 9-12). Competition takes place in these categories:

• Historical paper (individual only): an essay not less than 1,500 nor more than 2,500 words (six to ten typed, double-spaced pages).

• Exhibit (individual or group): an exhibit, display, chart, model, etc., of a historical subject. Group projects involve no more than five students.

• Performance (individual or group): song, lecture, demonstration, puppet show, dramatic reading, etc., not to exceed 10 minutes in length. Group performances involve no more than five students.

• Documentaries (individual or group): an entry presented solely on slides, PowerPoint, videotape, motion picture, or computer, not to exceed 10 minutes in length. Group documentaries involve no more than five students.

• Web site (individual and group combined): an entry containing no more than 1,200 visible, student-composed words within no more than 100MB of file space. For the inaugural year of this category, both groups (no more than five students) and individuals will compete together within their age division.

History Day begins with regional contests. The Northwest Arkansas Region 10 History Day (including Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Washington Counties) will be held Thursday, March 5, 2009, at the Jones Center for Families in downtown Springdale.

The 2009 Northwest Arkansas regional History Day competition has the following limits on the number of teams per school that can register per division and category:

• Papers: maximum 10 teams per school
• Exhibits: maximum 10 teams per school
• Performances: maximum 4 teams per school
• Web sites: maximum 4 teams per school
• Documentaries: maximum 4 teams per school

As an example, in the exhibits category, a single school can register a maximum of 10 junior individual teams, 10 junior group teams, 10 senior individual teams, and 10 senior group teams.

How Do I Participate?
A student first decides which of the categories to enter and whether to work individually or with a group, and then selects a subject. Teachers may use the National History Day web site to access a wealth of information about the program, rules, and all other aspects of History Day.

FAQ

Research tips

Entry form

What is the Deadline?
All entry forms, completed papers for the historical papers category, and process papers for all other categories must be postmarked or delivered to the Shiloh Museum on or by 5 p.m., Friday, January 30, 2009. Earlier submissions are encouraged! Extensions to this deadline will NOT be made except for inclement weather determined solely by the Shiloh Museum; check this web site to see if the deadline has been extended – no other reasons for late delivery will be accepted. Address mailings to: History Day, Shiloh Museum, 118 W. Johnson Ave., Springdale, AR 72764. For questions or information call (479) 750-8165, fax (479) 750-8693, or email shiloh@springdaleark.org.