National History Day in Connecticut

Members and friends are once again encouraged to participate as judges in the National History Day program in Connecticut. This annual competition engages students in grades 6-12 in the process of researching and interpreting a historical topic of their choice related to an annual theme. The theme for the 2006-2007 academic year is "Triumph and Tragedy in History".

A few examples of Connecticut history topics related to this year's theme are listed below. Get a more complete list and information HERE.

Triumph and Tragedy in the 1888 Blizzard
Triumph and Tragedy in the 1936 Flood
Triumph and Tragedy in the 1938 Hurricane
Triumph and Tragedy in the 1944 Hurricane
Triumph and Tragedy in the 1955 Floods
Prudence Crandall: Triumph of Conviction Over the Tragedy of the Black Law
The Amistad Africans: Triumphing Over the Tragedy of the Slave Trade
Triumph and Tragedy: The Pequot War of 1636-1638
Triumph and Tragedy: The British Burn New London and Fort Griswold
Benedict Arnold: The Triumph of Victory and Tragedy of Betrayal
Triumph and Tragedy: King Phillip’s War
Lydia Sigourney: Exploring Triumph and Tragedy Through Poetry
Nathan Hale: the Triumph of Loyalty in the Face of Death
Israel Putnam: Triumph at the Battle of Bunker Hill
Fundamental Orders: a Triumph for Early Democracy
Triumph in World War II

Working individually or in small groups, students are encouraged to find primary and secondary resources on their subject through research in libraries and museums, interviews, and visits to historic sites.

Students use their research to create a project to share with the public at one of five district History Day competitions held across Connecticut in the spring. Our District competition will be held on Friday evening, March 23, 2007 at Leonard J. Tyl Middle School, Montville (Oakdale) CT. Local historians, educators, and other professionals judge the students entries, and winners are eligible to participate at the state competition held on Saturday, April 28, 2007.

Special prizes, sponsored by local community organizations, are also awarded based on various topics. These may include cash or gift prizes. State winners are invited to attend the national History Day contest at the University of Maryland with over 2,000 other students from across the country.

The history Day program challenges participants to write their own history and fosters their creative talents. Students develop important research, thinking and presentation skills that they will use throughout their lives.

Judging consists of a team of three judges assessing student projects. All judging at History Day is done on a consensus basis and judges decisions are final. Judges are recruited from the local community; they are educators, historians, curators, video producers, writers, lawyers and business people with a love of history and education.

On the day of the competition, students bring their annotated bibliography and process paper. Judges ask the students questions at the conclusion of the student presentation to confirm that the students explored all avenues of inquiry, followed all the rules in the Contest Rule Book, and did the work themselves. Judges complete a score sheet that will be given to each student after the contest. There is a specific score sheet for every category: paper, exhibit, performance and documentary. Students receive an overall rating as well as written comments.

The 2007 Preliminary Registration Form and the For further information on History Day please visit History Day in Connecticut at the Connecticut Historical Society (chs.org) or call Beryl Fishbone at 887-9000.