Hawaiʻi Students Earn Top Awards at National History Day

Molokai Student Leila Pereira who entered her project “The Nanking Massacre” in the Individual Senior Website Category. Contributed photo

Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities News Release
Hawaiʻi students won top awards at the National History Day (NHD) competition at the University of Maryland June 8-12. Student historians from across the state showcased their passion for history, demonstrated exceptional research and presentation skills, and responded to judges’ interviews with knowledge, confidence and enthusiasm.
Hawaiʻi History Day students in grades 4 to 12 from 46 public, private and charter schools on Molokai, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii who advanced through school, district, and state-level competitions earned the opportunity to compete at the national level. Hawai’i students competed in Junior (grades 6-8) and Senior (grades 9-12) Divisions, as individuals or groups (2 or 3 members), amidst fierce competition from nearly 3,000 students from all 50 states, international schools and U.S. territories.
Under this year’s NHD theme, “Rights and Responsibilities in History,” students explored narratives of tensions between what people are entitled to and what they owe to others or society, and which have often led to turning points in history. Students chose a topic, conducted extensive research using primary and secondary sources, and then creatively presented their thesis and evidence through exhibits, documentaries, websites, performances, or essays.
In addition to the NHD competition, four students presented two projects in ʻolelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) at a special “In Language There Is Life: I ka ‘olelo no ke ola” Showcase at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). The projects were displayed at NMAI on June 11, and at the University of Maryland, College Park June 9.
In Washington, D.C., students met firsthand people and places they usually only heard about in the news. At the Capitol, they interacted with all four of their Congressional Delegates, and many came away encouraged to use their voices to advocate for what they believe in, including federal funding for programs such as History Day, and gained insights into public service and the political process. Students engaged deeply with complex and courageous human stories at the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities, organizer of Hawaiʻi History Day since 1990, congratulates all students who researched and created history research projects.