The University of Arkansas at Monticello hosted the Southeast Arkansas History Day contest featuring 43 students from Stuttgart Junior High School in Stuttgart and Barton Junior High School in Hot Springs.
The regional contest was held Feb. 26. Top entries from this contest advanced to Arkansas History Day on April 5 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. The top two entries in each category at the state contest will move on to the National History Day (NHD) competition, held from June 8-12 at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., according to a news release.
The students, mentored by William Washburn, an eighth grade social studies teacher at Stuttgart Junior High School; Virginia Cagle, seventh grade social studies teacher at Stuttgart Junior High School; and Olivia Reeves, seventh grade social studies teacher at Barton Junior High School, participated in one of five categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance and website.
The 2025 theme, “Rights & Responsibilities in History,” allowed students to research and present historical topics of personal interest that explored the definitions, establishment, recipients, parameters and justifications of rights and responsibilities.
“It’s great to see more History Day students on campus this year than we’ve had before,” said Clinton Young, dean of the UAM School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “The projects were incredible and showed a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s a thrill to see students get excited about history and to welcome them to UAM.”
Now celebrating its 50th year, NHD helps students develop skills in research, critical thinking and source analysis. Participants spend months researching a topic before presenting their projects for judging. An independent study on the impact of the NHD contest found that participants tend to perform better academically, including on standardized tests. They also report increased confidence in their research, communication and analytical skills. Visit the NHD webpage for more information on this study.
Details: Sharon Silzell, associate professor of history at UAM and regional coordinator for Southeast Arkansas History Day, at silzell@uamont.edu or (870) 460-1847.