The best history nerds in the CSRA get their research on for National History

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned… to never compete on National History Day.

On Saturday, March 4, students from a number of local middle and high schools, including the Academy of Richmond County, Westside High and Episcopal Day School, will take part in the northeast regional National History Day (NHD) event to show off what they’ve learned.

Hosted locally by Augusta University’s Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy, National History Day is an academic enrichment program for students in grades 6-12. To participate, students select a topic relating to the NHD’s annual theme (this year’s theme is “Taking a Stand in History”) and work either independently or as part of a team on a long-term research project. Participants then compete by submitting their project to be judged by a local panel.

Projects range from individual research papers to documentaries, and even live performances. The top three finalists from each category then go on to compete at the state-level NHD event, hosted by Mercer University on April 22.

Dr. Andrew Goss, department chair and regional coordinator, said the value of NHD to area students can’t be overstated.

“Participation in National History Day is a rich learning experience,” he said. “Students discover first-hand the value of deep and critical reading by analyzing evidence, interpreting data and drawing conclusions.”

The Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy has been sponsoring the northeast Georgia regional competition for more than two decades. As the department’s premier event, NHD introduces dozens of middle- and high school students to campus each year.

The National History Day in Georgia is a program of the Georgia Humanities and LaGrange College in partnership with Mercer University.

Visit the Georgia Humanities website for more information about National History Day.