Southeast Missouri State University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences hosts a tradition that brings together hundreds of high school students from across the region to showcase their passion for history and research. This year marks the 50th anniversary of National History Day. At SEMO’s regional National History Day competition, participants will compete for the chance to continue to the state level.
“We are proud and honored to be hosting National History Day at SEMO,” said Dr. Eric Bain-Selbo, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Our campus has a history of hosting one of the largest and most successful regional competitions in the state.”
With the 2025 theme focusing on “Rights and Responsibilities,” students from surrounding high schools are preparing to deep dive into the past and present to explore the balance between the rights individuals hold and the responsibilities they must maintain in society.
The National History Day competition challenges high school students to research a topic and present their findings in the form of a documentary, paper, exhibit, website or performance. SEMO faculty, staff and students will evaluate contestants based on historical quality, clarity of presentation and compliance with the competition’s rules.
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The first, second and third-place winners will qualify to represent Southeast Missouri at the state competition in Columbia, Missouri in April. This gives students an opportunity to showcase their work on a larger stage, with the possibility of advancing to the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland, College Park this June. Additional awards include the Historic Preservation Award, Regional History Award, Diversity Award, and Military History Award. Each comes with a $100 prize, sponsored by SEMO’s Historic Preservation Program, the Bollinger Center for Regional History, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Stars and Stripes Museum, respectively.
The competition features a wide variety of categories for students to choose from both in-person and online. In-person categories include both individual and group exhibits and performances. Online categories include both individual and group documentaries and websites, along with the option to submit a paper.
The regional competition will take place on Friday, March 7 from 9 a.m. to noon in SEMO’s University Center. The award ceremony will follow at 1 p.m. in the Academic Hall Auditorium, where the winners will be celebrated for their hard work, dedication and historical insight.
For more details on the National History Day contest and rules, visit nhd.org/en/contest/.