Access to National Competition Expanding for Bemidji Students

BEMIDJI, Minn (October 3, 2024) – A personal interview with former Vice President Mondale, a handwritten letter from Whitey Boulger, discovering a family member’s internment during World War II, and an internship with Stan Lee of Marvel Comics fame. These are a few examples of discoveries students that participate in National History Day have made.

In Minnesota, over 17,000 students will participate in the program, known as a “science fair” for social studies. The program allows students in grades six through twelve to explore any area of history that interests them and connect it to the annual theme, “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” They will conduct primary and secondary source research; analyze their findings; and create a project on their argument presented as either an exhibit, paper, documentary, performance, or website. 

Students in the northwest region of the state have a long history of participating in this program, either through their school as a classroom project or independently with the help of a parent. 

Carol Bliss Quinn, from LaPorte Public Schools, has worked with students on their History Day projects for nearly 15 years. She says of her students, “They embraced a topic of local history because even though they have lived here their entire lives, they were unfamiliar with the historical significance right in their backyard.” 

In an effort to create greater access for students to participate, Quinn is partnering with the Minnesota Historical Society and Bemidji State University to offer project research days at Bemidji State University’s Memorial Hall computer lab for interested students who are not able to participate through their school. She will work with interested students on their projects as an adviser throughout the school year. 

This group will meet 10 am - 2 pm on October 5, October 26, and November 9 to start. 

Students may be eligible to participate in a Regional contest in March, the Minnesota State History Day contest in Minneapolis in April, and the National Contest in Washington D.C. in June.

Please contact Allison Ortiz (allison.ortiz@mnhs.org) with additional questions about the History Day program or to share interest in attending one of the library research days.

About National History Day in Minnesota
National History Day in Minnesota is a co-curricular historical research program that builds college readiness and communication skills for middle and high school students. The program is sponsored by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Program support is also provided by the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008. 

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.

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