National History Day in Indiana is a highly acclaimed, year-long education effort that uses history to challenge students in grades four through 12 to improve their research, analytical and communication skills. History comes alive as students - working in groups or individually - actively explore a specific topic that interests them based on the National History Day theme.

NHDI projects encourage students to express themselves creatively through dramatic performances, documentaries, Web sites, exhibits and papers for competitions at the local, district and state levels. Students compete in four contest divisions based on their grade level.

Student research is based on primary and secondary sources from libraries, archives, museums and historical societies. As part of their study, National History Day students have opportunities to meet experts in the fields of history, science, technology and the arts.

The NHDI staff supports Indiana educators and students around the state with suggestions for topics, research strategies and project consultations to prepare for the contests. The NHDI staff provides tips for getting started, contest information, helpful Web links for student research and contest forms. For more information, call (317) 234-0085 or e-mail us. In addition, NHDI information booklets, contest rule books and forms are available to download in PDF format. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here to download it for free.

National History Day in Indiana for the 2008/2009 school year is sponsored by The Lumina Foundation for Education and the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation administered through the United Way of Central Indiana.

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Youth Division I (grade 4) Contest Categories
Media Presentation - individual or group project
First-Person Interpretation - individual or group project
Collage - individual or group project
Critical Book Review - individual project only

The NHDI Youth I Rule book is available to download in PDF format.

Contest Categoreis for Youth II (grade 5), Junior (grades 6 through 8) and Senior (grades nine through 12) Divisions
Documentary - individual or group project
Performance - individual or group project
Exhibit - individual or group project
Historical Paper - individual project only
Web site - individual or group project

FREE copies of the NHD Contest Rule Book are available from the NHDI staff. To request copies, call (317) 234-0085 or e-mail us.

The NHD Contest Rule Book is available to download in PDF format.

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Getting Started with National History Day

• Select an adult sponsor
  Students must have a sponsoring adult. A sponsor may be a teacher, parent or any other adult willing to help students participate in the competition.
• Complete a participation form
  Sponsors must complete a Participation Form and return it to the NHDI office in order to receive NHDI district and state contest registration forms.
• Review contest information and rule book guidelines
  The NHDI office will provide contest information and free rule books.
  The NHDI Information Booklet, the NHDI Youth I Division Rule Book for fourth grade students and the NHD Contest Rule Book for students in grades five through 12 is available in PDF format. Contact NHDI staff at (317) 234-0085 or e-mail us.
• Research and prepare contest entries
  Several Web links are available to help students get started.
• Request a student workshop
  Schedule one or all of these National History Day in Indiana student programs by contacting the NHDI staff (317) 234-0085 or e-mail us.
• Getting Started with History Day Workshops
  Each fall, the NHDI staff will visit schools to make an introductory presentation on National History Day and provide hands-on workshops for classes engaged in creating NHDI contest entries.
• NHDI Student Research Workshops
  Each spring, the NHDI staff will visit schools participating in NHDI to offer resource workshops for students creating NHDI projects. The workshop emphasizes research and analysis of primary and secondary sources, Web research tips and identifying other useful resources.
• NHDI Student Project Consultations
  Each spring, the NHDI staff will be available to meet with student at schools participating in NHDI to review their project progress and offer tips on preparing for local, district and state competitions.
• Attend the National History Day in Indiana district and state contests

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Contest Information
Sponsors with students interested in participating in National History Day in Indiana must return a completed Participation Form to the NHDI office. Upon receipt of this form, NHDI staff will send sponsors rule books, contest information and registration forms.

• NHDI District Contests
  All Indiana History Day students must compete in a district contest to be eligible for the state and national contests. Each Indiana county has been assigned to a specific district. A district contest will be held for schools and youth organizations located in counties assigned to that particular district. District winners advance to the state contest. Each district winner will receive state competition registrartion forms following their district contest. To download a list of Indiana counties and their assigned districts in PDF format, click here.
• NHDI State Contest
  Students who place in the top third of their division/category at their district contest will advance to the state contest. Choosing a percentage of the total entries from each district for participation in the state contest allows NHDI to maintain a fair representation of students from across the state. State contest winners will receive national competition registration forms following the state contest.
• National History Day Contest
  Indiana's top entries in the Junior and Senior Divisions (grades six through 12) are eligible to compete at the week-long National History Day contest held each June at the University of Maryland, College Park. Check the National History Day Web site for the latest information on the national contest.

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E-mail the National History Day in Indiana staff

Other helpful Web links:
American Journeys
Indiana Historical Society (Smith Library)
Indiana Historical Society (Notable Hoosiers)
Indiana State Archives
Indiana State Library
Library of Congress (American Memory)
National Archives and Records Administration
National History Day
Our Documents Initiative

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Indiana Students at the 2008 National History Day Contest
2008 NHDI State Contest Winners
2008 NHDI State Contest Special Award Winners

NHDI Information Booklet
Participation Form
Theme and Topic Ideas
NHDI Calendar
NHDI Youth I Division Rule Book
NHD Contest Rule Book (Youth II/Junior/Senior Divisions)