Nationals: Overview

Judging

First-Round Judging

• First-round judging takes place on Monday for the Junior Division and on Tuesday for the Senior Division. Students will get their judging time and location when they register for the contest (beginning Sunday). Coordinators will get the full list of times and locations for all their students on Sunday. There are ten first-round teams per category. NHD uses rooms in several buildings on campus.

• Exhibit students will need to set up their exhibits before their judging, and while the judging rooms are open. Look at the contest schedule for exact times. Students are responsible for setting up their exhibits on their own, unless a task is potentially dangerous for them to perform. They will set their project up at their location (noted by their entry ID number) and should leave four copies of their process paper and bibliography with it. If a student has a valuable item, advise them to leave it with the exhibit immediately before the room closes for judging and to be prepared to pick it up when the room opens.

• Performance students are responsible for bringing their props to their judging room. These areas are often congested, so students should not plan to store their props in or near their performance room. Students can get help carrying their props to the performance area, but only students should bring the props into the room for judging. 

• Many coordinators and spectators will spend the day of judging viewing entries as they are presented. 

  • Documentaries: Open during judging. Do not enter or exit a room while the documentary is being shown.

  • Exhibits: Closed during judging. Only judges and students are permitted in these rooms. Spectators can wait outside the room's entrance.

  • Papers: Closed during judging. Only judges and students are permitted in these rooms. Spectators can wait outside the room's entrance.

  • Performances: Open during judging. Do not enter or exit a room while the performance is taking place.

  • Websites: Open during judging. Do not enter or exit a room while the interview is taking place.

Final-Round Judging

Final-rounds of judging will take place in each category. Not all final-rounds will be announced or public, so the final-round judging looks different for students depending on their category. There are no interviews in final-round. All final-round judging takes place in the Stamp Student Union.

• Junior Division Documentaries and Performances: Final-rounds for these categories will be announced on Monday evening. The time may vary depending on how quickly results are tabulated. Results will be posted in the Stamp Student Union as well as the NHD Contest App. The posting will include the entry information as well as the time the entry is slated to present on Tuesday evening.

• Senior Division Documentaries and Performances: Final-rounds for these categories will be announced on Tuesday evening. The time may vary depending on how quickly results are tabulated. Results will be posted in the Stamp Student Union as well as the NHD Contest App. The posting will include the entry information as well as the time the entry is slated to present on Wednesday morning.

• Exhibits, Papers, and Websites: Final-rounds in these categories will not be announced. These rounds of judging take place without students present. 

Awards Ceremony

The awards ceremony is an event not to be missed. At 3 hours, its length is a testament to the hard work of so many students. At the beginning of the event, delegations come down from the seats and parade around the floor in a circle to the accompaniment of festive marches. Most delegations wear their matching t-shirts and carry Affiliate-related items, such as flags, symbols, inflatables, etc. 

At the conclusion of the 20-minute parade, the delegations return to their seats. A U.S. color guard marches onto the court and everyone rises for the singing of the national anthem. After this, the awards begin. The special prizes and outstanding Affiliate awards are interspersed with the category awards; the scholarships are given at the very end. 

Students whose names are called are asked to walk down onto the field and onto the stage to receive their medals and to pose very briefly for a photograph with the individual who is presenting the medal/award. NHD hires a professional photographer for this event as well as for the entire contest week. Of course, you and others in your delegation may (quickly) take pictures of the winning students as well.

Prizes, Special Prizes, Outstanding Affiliate Awards, and Scholarships

Contest Categories: Students receive medals and a letter on stage. Students must write a thank-you letter to a designated sponsor and send it to NHD before their checks will be released in the amounts below. Checks for group winners will be sent to individual students. For anyone receiving more than $600.00, IRS rules require that NHD collect a Social Security number. For non-US citizens, there is an additional IRS procedure. 

• 1st Place:  $1000.00

• 2nd Place: $500.00

• 3rd Place: $250.00

Special Prizes: For special prize winners, students are told that by virtue of winning the prize, their contact information will be shared with the prize sponsor. The list of special prizes changes from year to year. Please consult the list as it appears on the NHD website for the current prizes. Each special prize is sponsored by an organization, which crafts the prize description and determines the amount of the prize. Most prizes are offered to a single entry in either division and any category, but a few are offered in both divisions. Most prizes carry a monetary award of $1000.00, though a few very long-standing prizes provide smaller amounts. 

• Students may nominate their entries for special prizes during the registration process. Judges also nominate entries after first-round judging is complete. A team of volunteer historians selects the special prize winners after the completion of all category judging.

Outstanding Affiliate Awards: These are given to two entries per Affiliate: one in each division. You have the opportunity to nominate specific entries for these awards or to indicate that they should be given to the highest-ranking entries that do not place 1st-3rd in their categories or win special prizes. You will be given more information at the contest as to how to select these awards.