Press Release
What do Brigham Young, Eleanor Roosevelt and Steve Jobs have in common?
Many of our fourth through 12th grade students in Carbon, Emery and Grand counties can tell you. All are examples of Leadership and Legacy in History. These students are among nearly 400 kids who will compete in the Utah East Regional History Day competition on Saturday, March 14 at Carbon High School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The public may view student exhibits from 12 to 3 p.m. and awards will be distributed in a ceremony beginning at 4.
These young historians are involved in Utah History Day, part of the world’s leading program for history education – National History Day (NHD). This year’s contest theme invites students to examine how leaders and their legacies have shaped the course of history. More than half a million students worldwide participate in NHD annually. Last year, 4,000 Utah students in fourth through 12th grade benefited from this program. Whether they live in rural or urban areas, attend private or public schools, students will apply the skills of a historian as they conduct research for projects they hope will take them all the way to the National History Day competition held each June in College Park, MD.
“My experience has taught me life skills that will help me in the future,” stated Mason Rogers of Helper after taking second place at the regional fair in 2014 with a website on the Great Awakening and Religious Freedoms. “Each NHD project requires students to think out of the box and do in-depth research about a topic of interest.”
Utah History Day (formerly called Utah History Fair) has operated continuously in Utah since 1981 and is the official National History Day affiliate program for the state. The program was originally developed and housed at Utah State University. In 2014, however, it was transferred to the Utah Division of State History in Salt Lake City.
“We could not be happier to provide a new home for Utah’s National History Day program,” states Brad Westwood, Director of the Division of State History. “Students from any community in Utah can participate in this program, which helps cultivate a lifelong appreciation of history and heritage in our young people.”