Annual Timeline

Update Affiliate website to remove old information and refresh it for the upcoming contest year. Double-check that any Regional/District websites are current. Review your Affiliate listing on the national website to make sure it's accurate.

Some Affiliates create program-specific curriculum or resources for teachers. This may include a list of local history topics for the annual theme, teacher/student guides, and other ideas. 

If you plan on hosting teacher or student workshops, the summer is the best time to get those dates on the calendar, begin reserving facilities, confirming speakers, and promoting!

Confirming Regional and Affiliate contest dates and facilities is a year-round process, depending on when you can make your reservations. Double-check what you have and have not confirmed for the upcoming year. 

Begin communicating with participating teachers about important dates and deadlines for the current year. Clean up your spreadsheet of teacher contact information as you hear about school changes.

Besides knowing the contest dates, teachers will want to know the contest registration deadlines and fees (if any). Make these decisions if you have not already done so.

Most teachers begin working with History Day by Halloween or Thanksgiving, so the sweet spot for recruiting and training new teachers is in the fall at the latest. Can you connect with teachers who previously expressed interest in the program?

Most Affiliates host their teacher and student workshops sometime in the fall. 

If your Affiliate offers classroom outreach to participating schools, teachers may ask you to kick off the program starting in the fall. 

If your program has regional or district coordinators, you may want to host a coordinator annual kick-off meeting to begin collaboratively planning your year. 

Update judge sign-up and recruitment flyers in preparation for your initial messages about judging.

Look for the message from NHD about ordering contest medals in late summer/early fall. If you're not ordering from NHD, take stock and get quotes to place your order soon!

Begin inputting some of your contest logistics into the zFairs registration system, including a general day-of-event schedule, registration deadlines, contact information, fees, waivers, etc.

Begin communicating with participating teachers about the upcoming contests. They will want information on how to register, as well as the same important information you have prepared in zFairs about dates, deadlines, fees, and the number of entries they can register.

Designing your t-shirt and/or button often takes longer than you think. Try to have your initial design conversations early so there's plenty of time to place your orders before the contest. Remember: You can use these items not just for nationals but as judge thank-you gifts or to sell to students and teachers.

Get on your judges' radar by sending your initial push for judging. Consider how they will sign up and the confirmation messages and reminders they will receive. 

• Consider using your list of interested teachers as a potential judge pool. Seeing the program as a judge is a great way to "hook" an interested teacher for future participation. Are you able to offer professional development hours or CEUs for judging?

Begin talking to your past special award sponsors about their participation this year. What are the parameters of the prize? What is the prize? How will it be judged?

Contest logistics begin ramping up in January and February. For any event you coordinate, you will answer contest and registration questions from students and teachers, monitor registrations, communicate with registered judges, and prepare contest materials. 

If you haven't already gotten t-shirts and buttons printed, now is a great time to place those orders!

Once you know how many students are participating in your event, you can do your final pushes for judge recruitment. 

Remember, your state qualifiers will need all the information finalized in zFairs (or state qualifier packets) by the time Regional/District contests happen. 

• If you have special awards at your Affiliate contest, finalize the listing in zFairs so students can nominate their projects. 

• State Qualifier training sessions/National Qualifier feedback sessions

Once you know who will be going to nationals from your institution, how you plan on getting there, and where you will be staying, you can begin to make your national contest travel arrangements. 

Many Regional or District contests take place in February or March but could be earlier depending on your Affiliate program. 

• If you are a centralized or hybrid contest management system, where you plan some or all of your Regional/District events, you will need to plan these contests the same way you will plan your Affiliate contest. Be sure to prepare the state qualifier materials that Regional winners will need to register for the competition, and update your Affiliate contest zFairs pages. 

• If you are a decentralized contest management system, discuss with your Regional coordinators if/how they need your support at the event. See the Regional/District Contest page for more reminders. Be sure to prepare the state qualifier materials that Regional winners will need to register for the competition, and update your Affiliate contest zFairs pages. 

There are many aspects of your Affiliate contest prep that don't have to wait until the last minute. Affiliate contest prep. Check your supply lists - can you buy pencils or paper now? Make signs? Finalize catering orders? Arrange for parking for judges? Begin drafting a winner's press release?

Confirm the participation of special award sponsors, how their prizes will be judged, and prizes will be processed.

Remember, your national qualifiers will need to get information about the national contest at your Affiliate contest. Prepare the national qualifier packets you will give them. You must also consider what Affiliate-specific activities you may want to plan for your delegation while at the contest. 

Most Affiliate contests take place in April or May. Be sure to schedule your contest date at the sweet spot between Regional/District contests and the National Contest registration deadline. Students will need time to revise projects and register between each level of competition. 

• Once the contest is over, send your judge a thank you and follow up with any special award/topical prize sponsors about the winners.

As soon as your Affiliate contest is over, you will need to begin planning for your and your students' participation in the National Contest. Review projects, monitor registrations, and start packing materials to help lead your delegation.

Plan on attending the National Contest in June!

Begin to look at contest dates for the following year, and make facilities reservations as soon as you are able.