Volunteer for National History Day in Indiana

2025 National History Day in Indiana Judge Sign Up Form

For further questions, contact Claire Anderson at canderson@indianahistory.org

Contest judges play a vital role in the success of NHDI. Beyond influencing which projects advance to the next level of competition, judges provide valuable feedback for each project they judge. They provide an invaluable service by encouraging student exploration of history and their own interests, practice public speaking skills, and gain confidence in articulating and defending a researched argument. Judges do not have to have any particular knowledge of history or specific subject matter – the best judges are those who enjoy speaking and working with kids in grades 4-12, and those who enjoy learning something new.

Judges are generally needed on contest days at locations around the state from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. They will work with a team of other judges to discuss projects with students and write thoughtful feedback for students to use to improve their projects. All training is provided through digital webinars, PDFs, and other videos. Additional training and orientation will take place the morning of the contest, where additional materials such as rule books will be provided for your reference.

Lunch is provided for all judges. Should you wish to judge with a specific person, please contact Claire Anderson at canderson@indianahistory.org or share that information when you sign up.

At the NHDI state contest, participants may receive special prizes sponsored by cultural institutions around the state. Each award comes with specific criteria that a student must meet, in order to win the prize. These criteria may be narrowly or broadly defined, targeting a specific topic, grade level, project category or social issue. Special prizes offer a chance to encourage inquiry-based learning, individuality and curiosity in young people.

For more information on National History Day in Indiana’s special award sponsorships, email Andrew Halter at ahalter@indianahistory.org.