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Opportunities

Webpage last updated: August 21, 2024

What is Florida History Day?

Sponsored by the Museum of Florida History since 1988, Florida History Day (FHD) is an annual, statewide activity that enhances the teaching and learning of history. Florida joins 49 other states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and international schools in East and South Asia as an affiliate of National History Day® (NHD). Established in 1974, NHD promotes history in the classroom by offering students the resources and support to do original research about people, ideas, and events of the past. Students who participate develop a suite of intellectual, personal, and practical skills that will serve them throughout their life.

Based on a theme selected annually by NHD, students in grades 6 to 12 use primary and secondary sources to research a topic relating to local, national, or world history. After analyzing and interpreting the information they have gathered, students express their findings in a paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, or website. Entries are judged in two divisions—Junior (grades 6–8) and Senior (grades 9–12). Winners of school and county contests advance to the state competition, which is held in Tallahassee in May. First- and second-place state winners in each category and division earn the right to represent Florida at the National History Day contest in College Park, Maryland, in June. In 2023–24, more than 25,700 students in thirty counties participated in school, county, and state contests, guided by 461 educators.

How can you support Florida History Day?

  • JUDGE. Each year, FHD relies on more than 150 judges to evaluate the projects of students advancing to the state contest. Professional or academic experience in history, humanities, social studies, media production, visual or graphic arts, theater, journalism, or communications, is needed to provide constructive feedback and to select the winners.
  • VOLUNTEER. FHD invites people to be a volunteer at the state contest held in May in Tallahassee, FL. This competition would not be possible without volunteers assisting with setup, student registration, and contest operations.
  • SPONSOR. FHD sponsorship allows your organization to make a meaningful contribution to the communities in which you do business. By investing in Florida History Day, you will ensure the viability and growth of a program that has impacted more than one million Florida students and that holds the promise of impacting many more.