The Lyceum of Monterey County

33rd Annual
History Day

2023-24 Theme: Turning Points in History

What is History Day?

National History Day, is a year-long educational program that encourages students to explore local, state, national, and world history. After selecting a historical topic that relates to an annual theme, students conduct extensive research by using libraries, archives, museums, and oral history interviews. They analyze and interpret their findings, draw conclusions about their topics' significance in history, and create final projects that present their work. These projects can be entered into a series of competitions, from the local to the national level, where they are evaluated by historians and educators.

Students can compete in the following categories:    
Paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, website, podcast, or 4/5th grade poster. 

What‘s next for the participants who win? 

The Monterey County History Day program is part of a statewide competition that involves over 35,000 students each year. The winning projects of the Monterey County Competition will compete at the California State Competition.  The winners of the state competition will represent California at the National History Day Competition.  

Volunteering

Participating students and teachers spend months brainstorming, researching, writing, editing, designing, and preparing for the History Day Competition.  But it cannot be a successful event without volunteers.  Judging the History Day Competition is a great way to get involved in this event and provide students feedback on the project they have spent so much time and energy creating.  The Lyceum offers judge orientations instructed by experienced judges to provide all the information you will need to continue the excellence of this tradition.  If you are interested in volunteering as a judge please contact info@lyceum.org.

Online Resources and Connections:

Our special thanks to the following sponsors for their generous support and contributions: 

  • Chapman Foundation

  • Harden Foundation

  • Pebble Beach Foundation

  • Monterey Peninsula Volunteer Services

  • Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation

  • Monterey Peninsula Foundation