OkNHD State Contest Special Prizes and Awards
Best Exhibit Design Award
Presented by the Oklahoma Museums Association, this award will be given to one junior division and one senior division entry that exemplifies best exhibit design practices in creating their National History Day entry. Students should demonstrate a clear understanding of their topic, its historical context, the impact it has today, and present their content in a visually appealing exhibit that incorporates best practices in exhibit design. Projects will be evaluated on exhibit neatness, design layout, color usage, image selection and display, and overall presentation. This prize is open to individual and group entries in the exhibit category. Each winning entry will receive a $125 prize to be divided among entry participants. This prize will be awarded at the Oklahoma State National History Day Contest in each division.
The Oklahoma Museums Association (OMA) is a 501(c)3 organization, which was founded in 1972, with the mission to empower Oklahoma museums. OMA is the primary provider of professional training, technical information and best practices to staff, board members and volunteers of Oklahoma’s 500 museums, historic sites, tribal cultural centers, and historical societies. Our office is located in Science Museum Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. We are a professional organization serving the Oklahoma museum community. OMA plays an active leadership role by offering a variety of services, programs, and public awareness of Oklahoma’s museums. OMA offers a variety of opportunities to communicate and connect. Professional development and advocacy are at the focus of OMA programs and services. OMA and our 850+ members are the collective Oklahoma museum voice.
Best Use of Family History Prize
The James DeLoss Dailey Living History Award will be given to the best use of family history related to a student’s History Day entry. Students are encouraged to use the approach outlined in the Discover Hidden Treasures™ project. The developers, Jo Heiliger and H. F. Donnelley, associated with the Oklahoma State University Community Education Center, received a commendation from the American Association of State and Local History in 1990. Curriculum for classroom use of this exploration of family heritage through objects the family values was developed with collaboration among the History and Preservation Association and the Community Partnership Development Foundation, both Oklahoma based, along with the History and Educational Project, Inc., with cooperation from the Kansas State Department of Education.
One $150 prize to students and $100 to the teacher will be awarded at the state National History Day Contest. One award will be presented in each division to an outstanding individual or group project that demonstrates a clear understanding of their family’s connection to their project’s history topic, using interviews with family members, journals, and other support materials. Students should be able to relate impact through their project and interview with judges. For more information on the Discover Hidden Treasures™ project, please visit www.discoverhiddentreasures.org.
The award is co-sponsored by the James "Jim" Dailey Living History Fund and the Community Partnership Development Foundation.
The George Washington Leadership Prize
George Washington stood at the center of the world stage through the second half of the eighteenth century and has continued to do so since his death in 1799. He played a pivotal role in every major event surrounding the founding of our nation through his roles as Commander in Chief, president at the Constitutional Convention, citizen farmer, and the President of the United States of America. His actions have been examples of civic responsibility, patriotism, and historic complexity over time and remain relevant in national dialogue today.
Presented by the Washington Library at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, this $250 prize will be awarded to outstanding projects in both the junior and senior categories that demonstrate a clear understanding of the ideas and events defined by Washington’s life, leadership, and legacy. In addition to outstanding historical interpretation, we award special consideration to projects that seek innovative and compelling ways to tell the story of George Washington so that his timeless and relevant life is accessible to the world.
The Grand River Dam Authority Best Environmental Project Award
Reclamation, Environmental Stewardship, Conservation
This award is presented by the Grand River Dam Authority whose responsibilities include a comprehensive ecosystems management plan, public outreach programs, water quality monitoring, flood mitigation, and more. Beginning with Senate Bill 395, known as the Grand River Dam Authority Enabling Act, the GRDA has served as an agent of conservation and reclamation for decades. Two $250 prizes will be awarded at the state National History Day contest. One award will be presented in each division to an outstanding individual or group project that demonstrates a clear understanding of environmental stewardship, reclamation, or conservation, or which narrates the history of such endeavors. Students should be able to relate the impact of their topic through their project and interview with judges. This prize will be awarded at the Oklahoma State National History Day Contest in each division.
Historic Preservation Award
Presented by the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office, this award will be given to one junior division and one senior division entry that addresses a topic related to historic preservation specifically by interpreting the importance of place and through the use of the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places was created in 1966 by the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Students should demonstrate a clear understanding of their topic, its historical context, and the impact it has today. This prize is open to individual and group entries in all categories. Each winning entry will receive a $250 prize to be divided among entry participants. This prize will be awarded at the Oklahoma State National History Day Contest in each division.
Indian Boarding School Project Prize
Presented by Oklahoma Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities, this award will be given to one senior division entry that best examines the story of Indian Boarding Schools in Oklahoma. This special research category hopes to encourage student primary research on the history of boarding schools in Oklahoma as part of a larger collaborative project with the National Endowment for the Humanities, Oklahoma Humanities, the Oklahoma Historical Society, and Oklahoma National History Day. A 2022 report from the U.S. Department of the Interior identified more than 400 boarding schools across 37 states that operated between 1819 and 1969, including 76 schools in Oklahoma.
Students should display a clear understanding of the history, its historical context, and the impact the history has had and continues to have on Oklahomans. Students should be able to relate the history’s impact in their presentation and interview with the judges. The winning senior division entry will receive a $250 prize to be divided among entry participants, and students will also receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Oklahoma Humanities magazine. The Oklahoma Humanities Executive Director will award this prize at the Oklahoma State National History Day Contest. This contest is open to senior individual and group entries in all categories.
John Mark Rhea History Day Prize
The John Mark Rhea History Day Prize will be presented to one senior division entry at the Oklahoma National History Day Contest. The winning entry will receive a $200 prize, to be divided among entry participants. Entries from all categories and engaging any topic will be considered for this prize.
League of Women Voters of Oklahoma Award
Presented by the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma, this award will be given to one junior division entry that best addresses voting access in Oklahoma. Students should display a clear understanding of the topic, its historical context, and the impact on Oklahomans. Students should be able to relate the impact in their presentation and interview with the judges. The winning junior division entry will receive a $250 prize to be divided among entry participants, and students will also receive a complimentary one-year League of Women Voters membership. This prize will be awarded at the Oklahoma State National History Day Contest. This contest is open to junior individual and group entries in all categories.
The purpose of the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma is to encourage informed and active participation in government. The League works to increase the public's understanding of major public policy issues, and it influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership is open to any person over sixteen years of age. Visit my.lwv.org/oklahoma to join as a member at large or to find a local League in Lawton, Norman, Oklahoma City, Stillwater, Tulsa, and Bartlesville.
OERB Energy Project Award
Presented by the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB), on behalf of the people of Oklahoma Oil and Natural Gas, this award will be given to one junior division and one senior division entry addressing a topic related to the history of Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas industry. Students should display a clear understanding of their topic, its historical context, and the impact the industry has on the lives of Oklahomans. The OERB was created in 1993 by the Oklahoma Legislature and is funded through a voluntary tax on oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners. The OERB’s purpose is to conduct environmental restoration of orphaned and abandoned well sites and to educate Oklahomans about the oil and natural gas industry. This prize is open to individual and group entries in all categories. Each winning entry will receive a $250 prize to be divided among entry participants; a $250 prize will also be awarded to the teachers of the winning students. This prize will be awarded at the Oklahoma State National History Day Contest in each division.
Oklahoma Council for History Education
Presented by the Oklahoma Council for History Education (OKCHE), this prize will be awarded to the best project in the junior and senior divisions focusing on education in history. As history educators, we understand the pivotal role of education in societies throughout history and the vital role of history education in society today. The project can address education as a motivator for change, education as a response to societal issues, or the importance of history education. Students should be able to relate the impact of their topic through their project and interview with judges. Prizes may be awarded in any category. OKCHE will provide one prize each in the junior and senior divisions. A monetary prize of $100 will be divided evenly among entry participants. The sponsoring teacher of each winning entry will receive an OKCHE Membership and registration for the OKCHE Annual Conference ($100 value).
The Oklahoma Council for History Education is dedicated to the scholarly teaching of history and developing the creative and critical skills that today’s students require for tomorrow’s success. Our mission: advocate and advance the study and teaching of history in schools throughout the state; encourage and support the development and implementation of meaningful and effective history curriculum and instruction; provide a program of professional activities for history educators and students; provide for educational and professional interaction among those with interest in history.
Todd Family Oral History Award
This prize is awarded to two Oklahoma National History Day senior division entries with the best oral history interview with a US veteran. Oral histories must be conducted by students. Students will submit their recorded interview to the Oklahoma Historical Society, which will archive all recordings. Student awards are $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place. For complete information about this prize, please visit the Todd Family Oral History Award Project page.
Contact Us
For more information about special awards, please contact the OkNHD staff at oklahomanhd@gmail.com.
