NHD-CA Historical Paper Contest
Separate category where historical papers skip the county level and are submitted directly to a statewide paper contest; top papers then feed into the larger NHD-CA pathway.
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National History Day – California (NHD-CA state contest)
NHD-CA is the state-level round of National History Day, where county champions present exhibits, documentaries, websites, performances, or papers on the annual NHD theme; it's one of the largest state history contests in the U.S.
Alameda County History Day
Local county contest for National History Day; students from Alameda County submit projects in February and compete at the county event on March 7, 2026.
DAR American History Essay Contest
National essay contest that asks students to write on a themed U.S. history prompt; entries go through local DAR chapters to state and national levels.
Fracchia Prize – San Francisco Historical Society
Annual research-essay contest on San Francisco history; open to any student attending a high school in San Francisco, with 1,200–1,600-word original essays.
Young Family Historians Essay Contest
Essay contest focused on family history and genealogy, asking students to research and write about their own family history using historical methods.
9th Circuit Civics Contest
Essay or video contest on "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness," analyzing one core right historically and today.