Orange County History Day
Welcome to the world of NHD-OC, where we ignite a love for history through our county-level History Day competition and Awards Ceremony held every March. Our commitment extends beyond the event itself as we provide support to teachers through our dedicated Teacher Training session. Collaborating with archivists and local librarians, we present an enlightening How To student event, empowering students to explore primary and secondary sources while receiving expert guidance in topic selection and research initiation. Join us and unlock the extraordinary opportunities that NHD-OC offers. Let's embark on an unforgettable journey into the realm of history together!
Contact us:
[email protected]
View website here
NHD Virtual Kickoff
Step into the world of historical inquiry and project-based learning. Learn how this approach empowers students with voice and choice, making their learning experience more engaging and meaningful.
Date: Thursday, September 10th 2026
New to NHD-OC - Time: 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Join us for an introduction to NHD-OC to learn about the ins and outs of registration, theme overview, project resources, NHD tips and more.
NHD-OC Coaches Time: 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Join us to learn about this year's NHD rules and competition updates and preparing your students for competition.
How To Event
Discover how innovation changed history. Join this interactive workshop to explore the 2027 Naitonal History Day theme, Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change. Learn how to choose a compelling topic, develop strong research questions, locate primary and secondary sources, and create a successful national History Day project. Students, teachers, parents, and coaches are welcome.
VIRTUAL
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Time: 4:00 - 5:30 pm
Register here
Flyer here
Intent to Participate
Sign your school up to receive information and registration materials for the 2026 competition.
County Competition
The 2027 NHD-OC Competition will take place on Saturday, March 13, 2026 at the Orange County Department of Education.
INTERVIEW SCHEDULES
Preview Category Upload – 2/22/27 Deadline
The following categories must submit projects early for judges to preview prior to the NHD-OC contest. No additional Special Award uploads are necessary for these categories.
NEW --- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Your NHD Project
As of October 1, 2026, the use of generative AI to create an NHD project during the 2026-27 School year is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.
Word Count
It is your responsibility to make sure your project is under the maximum amount of student composed words. Please refer to the rule book (page 21) for more information. Counts will be verified at competitions.
Key Dates
Thursday, September 10, 2026: NHD-OC Kickoff
Thursday, September 24, 2026: NHD-OC How To Event
Friday, December 11, 2026: Intent to Participate Submission Due
Tuesday, January 19, 2027: Registration Opens ($50 school fee)
Tuesday, January 26, 2027: Registration Closes 8:59 pm
Monday, February 1, 2027: Late Registration Closes 4:00 pm (late fees apply)
Tuesday, February 9, 2027: Last day to drop w/o incurring fees
Friday, February 19, 2027: Special Awards Nomination Deadline
Monday, February 22, 2027: Documentaries, Podcasts & Websites Due by 8:59 pm (websites locked)
Monday, February 22, 2027: Written materials due for all categories (except poster) by 8:59 pm
Saturday, March 13, 2027: NHD-OC Contest
Cost: $60 per student (Late registration $75 per student)
Wednesday, March 17, 2027: NHD-OC Awards Ceremony
Special Awards
Opportunity for Coaches and Students: Submit projects to be considered for Special Award prizes. Use the links below to find out more information on each award and submit an application.
NHD-OC Spotlight Award - 12th Grade Students Only
DEADLINE - Friday, February 19, 2027
The Spotlight Award is presented to one 12th grade student each year. The honoree must have participated in NHD-OC for a minimum of three (3) years, including their senior year.
Nominations for the award must be made by the student's NHD-OC coach(es). Coach(es) may only nominate one student. Members of the NHD-OC Team will select the honoree, and the winner will be announced at the annual NHD-OC Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, March 17, 2027.
The student nominated for this award should demonstrate academic excellence, outstanding leadership, persistence, and strong care and concern for others. The nominee should also be someone committed to not only working hard individually but who also takes responsibility for motivating and leading others to achieve their personal best.
For ease of editing and to ensure a quality application, it is recommended that you work on your answers on a Word document and then copy and paste the answers into the submission fields. This would also ensure that you also have a copy of your application answers for your future records.
NHD-OC Spotlight Award Submission Form
Volunteer Judge Information
NHD-OC will take place in March 2027. Students will submit exhibits, posters, documentaries, websites, podcasts and performances. Judges are needed to score projects, conduct student interviews, and provide feedback.
What Is My Judging Commitment?
A judging session typically requires a minimum of 5 hours. This includes an orientation followed by an examination of student work, student interviews, and determining the top entries you and your fellow judges have reviewed.
Judges who review Documentary, Podcast, and Website entries will preview the entries before that NHD-OC contest and interview students at the contest.
All judges should attend the NHD-OC Judge Training Webinar offered in February and March.
Sign Up to Judge
When: Saturday, March 13, 2027
Times: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM (sessions available morning, afternoon, or both)
Location: Orange County Department of Education