<p>I think NHD is a great activity for kids who are interested in history. It might help a bit with admissions at selective colleges, but nothing at the level like the very prestigious math/science contests, so don’t let that be the reason to pick NHD as an activity. Do it as a learning experience, and only if the student is genuinely interested in history. </p>
<p>Look online for your state coordinator, and ask for any guidance. Many states have their own NHD websites, with lots of resources.<br>
For example, here is the NJ NHD website: <a href=“New Jersey State Contest”>New Jersey State Contest;
<p>While a student doesn’t have to do an NHD project every year, I think there are real advantages to starting early and participating more than once. Being able to look at the entries from other students at the contest helps open up your mind to ideas for future years’ projects. Plus, repeated exposure to concepts like understanding primary sources can only help.</p>
<p>A parent can act as the “sponsoring teacher” if your school doesn’t participate. My S’s middle school had a school-sponsored NHD program, but the high school did not, so I signed up as his teacher for when he entered while in high school, and he made it to Nationals.</p>