Battle Born. History Made. Nevada's delegation heads to the National History Day Contest — June 14–18, 2026
Battle Born. History Made.
Nevada's delegation heads to the National History Day Contest — June 14–18, 2026
Nevada showed up in Washington, D.C. this June — and we couldn't be prouder.
Thirty Nevada students traveled to the University of Maryland in College Park to compete at the 2026 National History Day Contest, representing the Silver State among the best student historians in the country. From the opening ceremony to the awards, it was a week that reminded us exactly why we do this work.
The week kicked off on the Mall
📸 2026 NHD in Nevada Delegation, National Opening Ceremony Group Photo — University of Maryland, McKeldin Mall]
Sunday evening, the Nevada delegation gathered on McKeldin Mall for the Opening Ceremony — one of those moments that never gets old no matter how many times you've seen it. Thousands of students from across the country and around the world, all there because they chose to dig into history and make something from it. Our students wore their NHD in NV t-shirts and carried Nevada with them all week.
Interviews, explorations, and everything in between
The contest schedule splits junior and senior divisions across two days, and both groups made the most of it. Junior division students (grades 6–8) presented their projects to judges on Monday, while senior division students (grades 9–12) had a free day to explore the city. On Tuesday, the schedule flipped, senior division students took their turn in front of judges while junior division students headed out to discover Washington on their own terms. It's one of the smartest things about the National Contest format: every student gets both a competition day and an exploration day, and by Wednesday, everyone has earned the Capitol Hill experience together.
In between, students took in one of the most historically rich cities in the world, logging well over 10,000 steps a day and collecting affiliate buttons from states and countries across the contest. The student dance on Monday evening was students-only, and by all accounts, it was exactly as fun as it sounds.
Wednesday: A day on Capitol Hill
Wednesday was a highlight of the week. The delegation toured the Capitol, met with Nevada's U.S. Senators, visited the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and capped the evening with a Monuments Trolley Tour departing from the Peace Monument. Seeing Nevada students walk the halls of Congress and engage with their own elected representatives, is civic education in action. This is what it looks like when History Day meets real life.
📸 [INSERT: Capitol Hill / Senator meeting photo]
📸 [INSERT: Smithsonian Museum of African American History photo]
📸 [INSERT: Monuments Tour photo]
📸 [INSERT: Awards Ceremony / Parade of Affiliates photo]
Thursday: Awards and the Parade of Affiliates
The week closed with the Awards Ceremony at the Xfinity Center — Nevada's delegation in their t-shirts, Nevada flag in hand, marching in the Parade of Affiliates alongside every other state and affiliate. It's one of the great traditions of the National Contest, and it's always a proud moment for our state.
Looking ahead: Nevada in 2026–2027
This year's contest was held under the theme Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History — and Nevada students brought that theme to life across every category. Next year's theme has already been announced, and registration for Nevada regional contests opens in October.
If you're a Nevada student in grades 6–12, a teacher looking to bring History Day into your classroom, or a parent wondering if this is the right fit for your kid — the answer is yes, and we'd love to help you get started.
📩 Contact Christine Hull at historydaynv@gmail.com or visit nvcce.org/historyday to learn more.
