NHD Awards

2008-09 Theme:
The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies
State Contest:
May 7-9, 2009
National Contest:
June 14-18, 2009

Students earning first-, second-, and third-place rankings in each category and division receive a medal and cash awards that include:

first place, $1,000;
second place, $500; and
third place, $250.

Special Student Prizes
Additional cash prizes and medals awarded by NHD include the following:

$100 to $500 prizes for best entries dealing with special topics or methods in history, including Civil War history, history of the American presidency, naval history, labor history, Colonial or Revolutionary American history, history of agriculture, women's history, history of religious freedom, Irish or Irish American history, African American history, history of the federal government, and history of baseball (see a complete list of prizes);

partial-tuition scholarships at the University of Maryland, College Park; Chaminade University, Honolulu; and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
a full-tuition scholarship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland for one outstanding entry in an individual category created by a high school senior.

Outstanding State Award
Recipients of the junior and senior division Outstanding State Awards, selected by each state coordinator, receive an NHD medal.

History Channel Student Awards
The History Channel sponsors several special awards for students that bring a $5,000 prize per winner in the following categories:

Best Senior Individual Documentary;
Best Senior Group Documentary;
Best Senior Entry Connected to a Historic Site; and
Best Senior Entry on an International Theme.

History Channel Educator Award
The History Channel annually rewards an outstanding educator with the Outstanding History Educator Award, which brings a $5,000 prize and a video library for his or her school. A nominee must participate in National History Day and may be a teacher, media specialist, district or state history day coordinator, judge, or parent. Eligibility criteria can be found on the National History Day web site.

National History Day Educator Award
NHD gives a $1,000 prize each year for its Richard M. Farrell Teacher of Merit Award. The recipient is selected from among Teacher of Merit winners nominated by state coordinators. Criteria for the Farrell Award and the FHF Teacher of Merit Award are identical.