Green Mountain State Students at National History Day

There's a moment every June, when students march in the National History Day (NHD) Delegation Parade, and a small state feels a part of something bigger than itself. The NHD Awards Ceremony opens with students from all fifty states (plus Washington D.C., Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, South Korea and China) proudly moving behind their state banners in a procession just like the Olympics. Somewhere in that sea of nearly 3,000 participants, our Vermont students proudly waved miniature state flags and inflatable cows (much to the chagrin of Wisconsin). The energy is palpable.  

VHD to NHD

This June, Vermont Historical Society sent 35 students, their guardians, and devoted teachers to University of Maryland, College Park. Every one of those 35 students started the same way hundreds of Vermont students do each year, with a blank page and a topic nobody assigned them connected to a theme. This year’s theme, "Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History," was made even weightier by 2026 marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Students began their journey by asking questions, spent months chasing down primary and secondary sources in libraries and archives, and then defended their thinking in front of judges at the Vermont History Day state contest this past April. Placing in the top two of their categories at states earned students the opportunity to compete at Nationals.  

Appreciation for Teachers and Guardians

Getting from a classroom in Vermont to UMD College Park is not a small trip, logistically or otherwise. Thank you to the teachers who mentored these students while they worked diligently on their projects. Thank you to the teachers and chaperones who made travel arrangements, rehearsed possible judge questions, and managed a fair amount of nervous excitement in planes, trains, and automobiles. The fact that so many families made the trip alongside their children, many during the last week of school, reflects the value of this program. We’re thrilled to learn that even after returning home VHD projects, and NHD experiences, continue to be spoken about amongst peers and at dinner tables.  

Proud, Full Stop

Unfortunately, no one from Vermont’s delegation placed among the national finalists this year, but all of them came home with unique experiences that we think matter just as much. Vermonters took their research all the way to the national stage, defended their claims and research, and didn’t buckle under the pressure. They walked into unfamiliar rooms with judges, amongst thousands of competitors, and walked out having defended rigorous, original historical work. Plenty of adults would never attempt such a task. That’s a win - medal or not.  

One project was selected from a competitive group to be a part of a NHD showcase at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Though his teammate, Avery Kilian, was unable to attend, Ezra Blum represented their interest, passion, and dedication poured into their group exhibit entitled: Train Train Revolution. As they wrote in their process paper, “It was easy to see how the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad revolutionized travel, but to tie this topic to reactions and reform we had to dig a little bit deeper. As we read more on the topic, we learned not only how it revolutionized transportation, but also about reactions from white male laborers against Chinese laborers, and reactions by Native Americans to the impact the railroad had on their lives…It’s an important topic because it changed America forever, in both positive and negative ways.” Additionally, Ezra met his personal goal of collecting buttons from all 50 states plus. Those who’ve attended NHD understand that that is an impressive and difficult feat!

Ezra Blum stands in front of his exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

In each affiliate, National History Day recognizes Outstanding Entries in both the junior and senior categories. In the Junior Division, Eden Kelly and Natalie Flannery’s group documentary called “The Women’s Army Corps: We’re in the Army Now” was selected. It is an achievement that they will share with their peers at Main Street Middle School. South Burlington High School student, Anning Wang, received Senior Division accolades for her individual exhibit titled: “EXPOSURE: The Stolen Childhood Rediscovered Through the Lens.”  
Some of the best parts of the trip to NHD didn’t happen anywhere near a judging table. Friendships were strengthened or formed in a dorm hallway which was bursting at the seams with teens from other delegations.

Vermonters attended a Nationals baseball game, spent a morning at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, visited the International Spy Museum, and toured Capitol Hill. A smaller group made their way to the Library of Congress (LOC) where Kate Philips, the Vermont Historical Society’s former librarian, curated a selection of Vermont-related items. Her passion for the collection was contagious, and it left an enduring impression of the importance of preservation, collection, and interaction with historical items. Students left with the enduring understanding that institutions like the LOC and the Smithsonian exist not just to hold history, but to keep it within reach; it’s meant to be available to all.  Viewing Vermont’s history within the LOC collection, alongside of the nation’s, was a quiet reminder that our state’s history is part of the larger American story.  

Kate Philips, reference librarian in the Prints & Photographs Division of the Library of Congress (and former VHS librarian!), sharing a map of Barre, Vermont with NHD students.

Looking Ahead

The 2026-2027 National History theme has been announced: Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change. Somewhere in Vermont right now, a student is already contemplating their topic. If that student is in your classroom, your family room, or your library, here is how you can help them get started:

• Become a mentor teacher. Start by examining these resources. Please note that you do not have to be a current teacher to mentor a student! There are many paths to Vermont History Day participation.
• Explore potential Vermont topics together. Of course, we encourage students to discover and study Vermont history, but History Day projects can be local, national, or international in scope.

If you cannot commit to mentorship, here are a couple of other ways that you can be involved in supporting Vermont students:  

• Volunteer to judge at next year’s contest in early April.  
• Make a donation through the Vermont Historical Society for Vermont History Day. Your support will help alleviate registration and travel barriers and improve student access to the state and national contest. 

We hope to see you in April at the Vermont History Day contest, and who knows, we may even walk side-by-side in the parade in College Park next June! To see a list of 2026 Vermont History Day finalists, and to learn more about VHD, click here.

Three Main Street Middle School students gather in support before their NHD interviews.