Making a “Mommy Transcript” translate into a document that college admission officers can respect requires that you verify achievement across the curriculum.  In other words, you need someone who is unrelated to your student to notice and rank your student’s work in a particular field. Recently, a friend brought this resource to my attention.

National History Day is a contest sponsored in part by the History Channel.  Students in middle school and high school compete for college scholarship money by preparing a paper, a 10-minute documentary film, an exhibit or a 10-minute performance on the current year’s topic.  Students present their work at a division-level competition, usually in February or March (varies by state), and can advance to the state-level in April/May and finally to the national competition in early June at the University of Maryland.

Cash awards are given at junior and senior high levels for each category.  Gold medalists earn $1000, Silver medalists $500 and Bronze medalists $250.  Gold medalists in the documentary category earn $5000 from the History Channel.  Numerous other organizations from the US Marine Corps to the Agricultural Historical Society offer special prizes based on the focus of the presentation. Several colleges offer scholarships to those who place well.

The projects can be developed either individually or as a group – and home-schoolers are welcome!  Typically, students begin researching the topic early in the fall. The National History Day website offers an excellent timeline for project preparation, a free, download-able research curriculum for the current year’s topic and clear judging criteria, among many other vital resources.

Even if your student doesn’t advance to cash-winning levels, his participation in this kind of project enables him to receive evaluation and validation of his achievements from someone outside his family.  It also enables your student to practice making winsome worldview statements based on solid research in a venue which is outside her normal sphere. This year’s topic asks students to consider the impact that individuals have on history, and helps young scholars consider how to go beyond simple biography to historical analysis.

National History Day is an outstanding opportunity not only to advance a young person’s own  academic resume and to enhance his chances for college scholarships, but it is an invitation to tell stories that need to be heard.