COLLEGE PARK, MD, July 7, 2026—Caroline Adkins, a student at Paducah Tilghman High School in Paducah, KY recently competed in the National History Day® National Contest, held in College Park, Maryland, from June 14–18. She was awarded the George Washington: Leadership in History special award at the national contest.
The 2026 contest theme was Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. Caroline joined more than half a million students globally who completed historical research projects in one of five categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website. Caroline created a website project titled George Washington: Revolutionary Resignations.
After completing their research and designing a project, students competed in a series of contests beginning at the local level. The top students from 49 states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories, and international schools advance to the annual National Contest. Only 3,000 students advanced to the top level this year.
“National History Day provides an incredibly enriching experience for students in middle and high school,” said NHD Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “NHD students learn to research, analyze, and effectively articulate their position. Just one percent of this year’s NHD participants advanced to the national level, so all students should be proud of their achievements. NHD will benefit students far beyond academics as they become successful professionals, community-minded leaders, and engaged citizens.”
540 historians and education professionals served as judges for the students' work. More than 100 students took home cash prizes for superior work in a particular category of judging, along with special prizes from a variety of sponsors.
About National History Day® (NHD):
NHD is a non-profit organization based in College Park, Maryland, that seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history. Established in 1974, NHD currently engages more than half a million students each year in conducting original research on historical topics of interest and supports teachers through professional development opportunities. Students present their research as a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website. Projects compete first at the local and affiliate levels, where the top entries are invited to the annual National Contest at the University of Maryland at College Park. NHD is sponsored in part by the Joyful Noise Charitable Foundation, The Better Angels Society, Bezos Family Foundation, Library of Congress, Dr. Scholl Foundation, Behring Global Educational Foundation, and the National Park Service. For more information, visit
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