Kentucky Association of Teachers of History

Kentucky History Day is a project-based education program that engages students in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. Participation is open to all 4th-12th grade public, private, and home school students. They can choose topics about art history, scientific history and technology, military history, political history, religious history, and almost anything else that sparks their curiosity.

Students are expected to place their project into historical perspective, examine its significance in history, and show development over time. Their projects should also include an investigation into available primary and secondary sources, analysis of the evidence, and a clear explanation of the relationship of the topic to the theme.

The competition categories are as follows:

• Junior (6-8 graders) and Senior (9-12 graders) Divisions
  • Exhibit
  • Documentary
  • Paper (individual only)
  • Performance
  • Website

• Youth Division (4th and 5th graders)
  • Exhibit
  • Documentary
  • Website

This year’s theme is “Rights and Responsibilities in History” – the national website offers a wide variety of sample topics associated with the theme (http://www.nhd.org/images/uploads/2014_Sample_Topics.pdf).

A district competition (you can download the map here) leads up to the statewide competition at the University of Louisville (April 25-26, 2014).

If you are interested in further information regarding National History Day in Kentucky, see the Kentucky Historical Society’s website <http://history.ky.gov/kentucky-history-day-information/>. To arrange a visit from the NHD coordinator in Kentucky, please contact Cheryl Caskey at cheryl.caskey@ky.gov or 502-564-1792, ext. 4461.