Qualifications for Judging


​Our judges are enthusiastic about history and our youth, and have some college-level experience in research, and can give helpful, encouraging feedback to our students. Hawaiʻi History Day judges have:

  • An interest in history and ability to follow a written rubric to evaluate projects.
  • Ability and willingness to give kind, constructive, written feedback on student projects.
  • Ability and willingness to do short (5 minute) interviews with students on their projects.
  • Ability and willingness to consult and make decisions with fellow judges on student projects.
  • Parents are welcome to judge, but will not be assigned to judge their children’s projects.
  • Teachers from participating schools may judge, but will not be assigned to judge their own students’ projects.

Things to Consider

  • Judges work in teams with 2-3 judges per team
  • There will be online ZOOM orientation sessions for judges 
  • Essay or Website projects are judged online from approximately one week before the day of your District Fair
  • Documentary, Exhibit, or Performance projects are judged at the District Fair
  • For Documentaries, Exhibits, and Performances, you must be available to judge at your District Fair in-person
  • If you would like to Judge Documentary, Exhibit, or Performance projects for State Fair, you must be available to come to the State Fair in-person. State Fair Essay or Website projects can be judged online prior to the Fair
  • Please see the calendar here for 2025 Fair dates
  • Please ensure the email you use is able to receive communications from us! We will send reminders about the contest and judge training. If you’re not sure, send us an email at [email protected] and we will verify for you. More resources can be found below! 

Resources for Judges

Thank you for being part of our Hawaiʻi History Day community! Hawaiʻi History Day helps our young people engage with history on a deeper and richer level and as judges you are promoting these connections that will shape their lives into the future. Here you can find links to guides that help explain the judging process.
Contest Resources
2025-2026 Theme Resources
This year, the theme for History Day is “Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History.” For more details on the theme for this year, see the 2025–2026 theme description.

English-Language Project Evaluation Forms​

ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Project Evaluation Forms​

Hawaiʻi History Day is a program of the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities, an independent non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 corporation. Established in 1973, our mission is to enrich lives, broaden perspectives, and strengthen communities through the public humanities.
EIN 99-0153704.

   3599 Waiʻalae Ave., Suite 26, Honolulu, HI 96816
   P: 808.732-5402       
   E: [email protected] (History Day)  |  [email protected] (Hawai'i Council)
Hawaiʻi History Day is the official state affiliate of National History Day, a 501(c)3 non-profit that has impacted the teaching and learning of history across the world for more than 50 years. Today, NHD reaches over 500,000 students every year who learn to study the past to inform the present and shape the future.

Visit the NHD website  |  YouTube  |  Instagram  or  Facebook

© 2025, Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities