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Hawai‘i History Day, a state affiliate of National History DayⓇ (NHD) since 1991, is a year-long history education program that invigorates the teaching and learning of history and civics in grades 4-12 through project-based learning in the English and Hawaiian languages.

Through the creation of historical research projects in the English or Hawaiian language, students develop skills in communication, project management, and critical thinking. Students develop their arguments in a process paper with an annotated bibliography, and then creatively present their projects as a website, documentary, performance, exhibit board, or essay at school, district, state, and national competitions.

The National History Day office chooses a theme for each year. Students must make a connection between the theme and their topic, by understanding the historical significance of their topic and answering questions about time, place, and context. Themes are broad and allow students to research a range of topics and any aspect of local, regional, national, or world history. 

To coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, NHD's 2026 theme is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. Learn more about ...

• Resource materials and project topics specific to the 250th anniversary here.
  
• The NHD theme for Teachers, Students, and our ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi program.
  
• How the History Day program aligns with DOE standards.
  

"Learning about history is critical to ensure that
mistakes in the past don't repeat themselves.”

- Hawaiʻi History Day Student

SIGN UP TO JUDGE FOR HISTORY DAY!
Our Judge sign up form is LIVE! If you are interested in judging in a History Day Fair, sign up today! Click here to sign up as a judge.

SEE OUR HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH HHD STUDENT FILM SHOWCASE DOCUMENTARIES
On Saturday, September 13, Hawaiʻi History Day, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Pono Coalition and King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center, showcased five student documentaries, as part of a series of events for Hawaiian History Month. Films covered topics like the Kuleana Act, fishing rights, and the Hawaiian language. The showcased documentaries were a mix of english-language and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi documentaries and were based around the theme "Rights and Responsibilities in History." Congratulations to our students and teachers for their incredible work! Click here to see the student documentaries.