Sample Projects

We are very proud of the many projects produced by our outstanding Maryland students. Here are just a few samples of projects from our state. There are many ways to create a great History Day project, but always keep in mind the criteria used by judges.

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  • Paper Category
    Eric Keen
    Homeschool, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Christine Keen

    Eric’s paper, “Feeding the World: The Haber-Bosch Process,” won second place in the Senior Paper category at the 2010 Maryland History Day state competition and advanced to National History Day, where Eric won a bronze medal.

    READ ERIC’S PAPER (PDF)

    Claire Wayner
    Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Dr. Maureen O’Neill

    Claire’s paper, “Wings of Change: How One Man’s Artwork Inspired America’s Most Influential Conservation Organization,” won second place in the Senior Paper category at the 2015 Maryland History Day state competition and advanced to National History Day.

    READ CLAIRE’S PAPER (PDF)

  • Exhibit Category

    Camryn Woods, Ellie Lawson, Kelsey King, Sarah Broadwater
    Catonsville Middle School, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Robert Dungey and Katie Tucci

    Camyn’s, Ellie’s, Kelsey’s, and Sarah’s exhibit, “My Lai’s Outcry” won first place in the Junior Group Exhibit category at the 2018 Maryland History Day state competition and advanced to National History Day, where they were the Outstanding State Entry, Junior Division, and finalists.

    Process Paper and Bibliography

    Ana Elhom and Julia LowenthalSGE - Second Place - Ana Elhom, Julia Lowenthal
    Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Patricia Topliffe

    Ana and Julia’s exhibit, “AIDS: Encountering the Unknown,” won second place in the Senior Group Exhibit category at the 2016 Maryland History Day state competition and advanced to National History Day, where Ana and Julia were finalists in their category.

    PROCESS PAPER AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • Documentary Category

    Desiree Miranda
    Franklin Middle School, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Luchana Sumpter

    Desiree’s documentary, “The Hello Girls: The First American Women Telephone Operators” competed at the 2019 Maryland History Day state competition. Her documentary is also used in Maryland History Day outreach as an example of the wide range of topics available for students to research.

    Jake Blum
    Howard High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Mary Curtin

    Jake’s documentary, “On the Front Lines of Faith: Chaplains’ Reconciliation of Conflicting Roles in the Vietnam War” won first place in the Senior Individual Documentary category at the 2018 Maryland History Day state competition and advanced to National History Day, where he placed 1st in Senior Individual Documentary and received a scholarship to the National History Academy.

  • Performance Category

    Joanna Guy
    Southern Garrett High School, Garrett County
    Teacher: David Bender

    Joanna Guy’s performance, “Militant Quaker: Alice Paul and the Final Campaign for Women’s Suffrage,” won first place in the Senior Individual Performance category at the 2009 Maryland History Day state competition and advanced to National History Day. The performance was also featured at the Maryland Humanities’ 2009 summer Chautauqua at Garrett College.

    Megha Sharma
    Mayfield Woods Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: James McVey, Charla Phillips, and Tim Grafton

    Megha’s performance, “Children at Work: The Government’s Neglect of Children’s Rights During Baltimore’s Industrial Revolution” won first place in the Junior Individual Performance category at the 2014 Maryland History Day state competition and was a finalist at National History Day. The performance was also featured at the National Endowment for the Humanities’ annual “Breakfast on the Hill.”

  • Website Category

    Abigail Setzfand
    Northern Middle School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Devin Page

    Abigail Setzfand’s website, “Lewis Hine: Focusing the Lens on Child Labor,” won first place in the Junior Individual Website category at the 2017 Maryland History Day state competition and took home a silver medal at the National History Day contest.

    Matthew Heymann
    Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Sara Romeyn

    Matthew’s website “E. Cuyler Hammond: The Stand Against Cigarettes” won first place in the Senior Individual Website category at the 2017 Maryland History Day state competition, as well as the Dr. Dean Mesologites Award for Medicine and Society, sponsored by Honorable Stephen J. and Dr. Elizabeth Sfekas. The project advanced to National History Day, where Matthew was a finalist.

Additional samples can be found on the National History Day website.

  • “History Day has taught men how to interpret and effective use primary sources in my writing to create and support claims. Now I am much more likely to explore databases, go to libraries, and explore further external sources for credible and effective sources.”

    Maryland History Day 2019 Student

  • “MHD illustrated the applicability of the study of history to contemporary issues and current events. It was very motivating to converse with the students about their historical topic and observe how they applied it to current events and their own life circumstances.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “The thing that had the most impact were the skills that I got from this project. I developed better hunting skills in terms of looking for reliable sources and I also learned to work hard and not procrastinate to achieve something great.”

    Maryland History Day student participant

  • “Maryland History Day challenged my daughter to go deeper, deeper in research analysis and presentation. It took her to a whole new level academically.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “My students became more competent researchers, and took ownership of their work. They had total free reign to choose their topic, direct their research, and create their final project.”

    ​Maryland History Day 2015 Teacher

  • “[The students] learned a variety of ways to present their material and they could focus on what they wanted to learn about. The students had a choice in their learning. It was about their learning NOT what someone else felt they need to learn.”

    ​Maryland History Day teacher

  • “It provided an opportunity for my child to learn through experiential opportunities. He had interviews and tours that were relevant to his topic that helped the history come alive and create unforgettable memories.”

    Maryland History Day 2015 Parent

  • “History Day inspired me to become deeply invested in historical topics which I never thought I’d enjoy. It is an amazing experience that has the ability to make learning fun for everyone, no matter what you’re interested in.”

    Addie Skillman, National History Day Gold Winner

  • “The students are now far more prepared for the high level of scholarship and achievement that will be expected of them in future years. MHD also elevated many other skills too. These include public speaking, the use of technology, learning to collaborate.”

    ​Maryland History Day teacher

  • “My students went deeper with primary and secondary sources than ever before. They used critical thinking skills and applied the transfer goals and essential questions on a deeper level than they could have in class. It challenged them to think deeper and defend their findings.”

    Maryland History Day 2019 Teacher

  • “The researching and communicating skills have made me a more confident person in all academic endeavors. These are skills that will last me a lifetime.”

    ​Maryland History Day student participant

  • “I had never done anything like this before so it was a totally new experience to write a paper, be interviewed, and defend my positions. I now really know how to do research and it has improved my writing skills.”

    ​Maryland History Day student

  • “By using a variety of sources, I was able to get angles on my topic that I wasn’t able to before. Also, I learned so much about a topic near and dear to my heart that will enrich my learning later in life.”

    Maryland History Day 2015 Student

  • “We were very impressed with the depth of research all the students did for their History Day projects. It was fun to see them interacting with each other during the competition and events.”

    Lori and Josh Skillman, History Day Parents

  • “[My son] became a real expert in his topic and, he says, developed a life-long love of history, especially the history of music. I cannot thank you enough for this rare and incredible opportunity.”

    Andrea LeWinter, parent of Maryland History Day participant
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