15 Michigan Students Honored at 2022 National History Day

Michigan students were among the thousands of participants from across the United States and several territories competing in the virtual 2022 National History Day contest, which took place June 12-18, 2022. Fifteen Michigan students received special honors at this year’s competition—including a second-place finish and two special prizes.

"It's been exciting to see the topics that students chose for this year's theme of Debate and Diplomacy in History. The students did a fantastic job of exploring the impact that diplomacy and debate have played in large and small communities across the world," said Amy Bradfield, state coordinator for Michigan History Day® (National History Day in Michigan). “I am grateful to the students and teachers who continued with the program despite the obstacles caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The dedication of the students to share history that matters to them is inspiring.”

Michigan History Day is operated by the nonprofit Historical Society of Michigan.

Michigan students competing in the National History Day competition represented several communities, including Beulah, Bloomfield Hills, Calumet, Clinton Township, Fraser, Gobles, Holland, Kalamazoo, Lake Linden, Mattawan, Milan, Plainwell, Roseville, Saginaw, South Haven, St. Joseph, Traverse City, Troy, Warren, Westland and Whitehall.

Michigan History Day® is an affiliate of National History Day, which was established in 1974 and offers yearlong project-based learning that engages more than half a million middle and high school students around the world annually. History Day provides a fascinating opportunity to move beyond routine learning. Working with an annual theme, students choose to explore and research a local, national or international historical topic. Students then present their work in one of five categories: performances, exhibits, papers, websites and documentaries.

Lead sponsors of Michigan History Day 2022 are the Huntington Bank Foundation, The Meijer Foundation, the Americana Foundation, the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, William F. Pickard, Michigan Humanities, the Wilbur and Ruth Wright Charitable Fund and Sally Adler.

The Historical Society of Michigan is the state’s oldest cultural organization, founded in 1828. A nongovernmental nonprofit, the Society focuses on publications, conferences, education, awards and recognition programming, and support for local history organizations to preserve and promote Michigan’s rich history.