More than a thousand students from across California gathered in Sacramento from May 2 through May 4 to showcase months of extensive historical research and analysis at History Day California. As a first-time participant, as well as a virtual student, I didn’t know what to expect. I only knew that I was stepping into something new and exciting.
National History Day California is an annual event that brings together students grades 4 through 12. Students spend months conducting extensive research on a historical topic that relates to the annual theme. This year’s theme was “Rights and Responsibilities,” which enabled students to examine a multitude of topics.
Additionally, from documentaries and websites to exhibits and performances, students use a wide range of mediums to present their historical research. I was one of over 1,500 students who participated in this year’s History Day California — but without a team, club, or even a physical campus.
I first learned about History Day through pure luck. In the summer of 2024, my family visited the Italian Navy’s Amerigo Vespucci while it was docked in San Pedro on a world tour. As we were waiting in the long line to board the ship, my mom noticed a woman in front of us who was attempting to snap a few pictures on her phone. My mom asked if the woman wanted a picture of herself with the ship. This led to a highly educational conversation about internships, education and history. It was during this conversation that she mentioned National History Day (NHD) — a historical research competition for students across the United States.
Months later, I began my research on NHD. I learned that students first begin at regional competitions, then advance to their respective state competitions and finally may advance to the national competition. The deadline to register for History Day Los Angeles was in February. I began my research in January. With the clock ticking, I put together a project concept, asked my homeroom teacher to sponsor me and delivered the necessary registration payments to the Los Angeles County Office of Education in Downey.
For my topic, I selected government surveillance in relation to human rights, civil rights and the social and legal responsibilities of various groups within society. This topic is something particularly close to me, especially since my grandmother and great-grandmother both live in the Russian Federation, which is known to have an extensive domestic surveillance system. Whenever my mom, sister and I speak with them over the phone, we must always ensure that we are careful with our words, particularly around the invasion of Ukraine.
Believe it or not, David Bowie, my favorite musician, also influenced my selection of this topic. In 1974, Bowie released his “Diamond Dogs” album, which was meant to be the soundtrack for a musical based on George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Listening to the album and analyzing the lyrics led me to read Orwell’s famous novel, which examines a totalitarian society in which a large government surveillance apparatus is present. This, paired with the topic’s personal relevance to me, led me to select government surveillance.
I chose to present my topic as an individual exhibit. Often, students have support from their schools in terms of supplies or providing a space for students to construct their projects. Some schools even have entire clubs dedicated to preparing for NHD annually. However, as a virtual student, I had none of that at my disposal.
So, I searched for project examples online, and they blew me away. I knew that, cosmetically, it would be very difficult to compete. That being said, I did the best that I could with the limited resources I had. My history teacher, Ms. McCarrell, supported me with obtaining the resources for my project, which included two red trifolds that would be combined into a single six-foot-tall trifold, after the school said it was unable to cover the costs of under $100 in materials.
Another challenge arose: I was informed that I was unable to use the LAUSD Virtual Academies’ in-person welcome centers to construct my project. This was in spite of the fact that these locations are considered school grounds, used primarily by teachers who were sent in-person as of this school year, while still teaching 100 percent remotely. However, I made efficient use of the limited space that my family’s apartment offers and the support I was able to obtain from my teachers, my mom and my sister. This allowed me to gather my research and construct my project, something that required a time investment of approximately 30 hours.
When I displayed my project at History Day Los Angeles, held at San Gabriel High School on May 1, it was the first time that I had seen the other projects in person. Other projects included a mannequin with a dress for a topic related to Coco Chanel, a 3D-printed interactive table with colorful lights for a topic on Los Angeles’ Chinatown and an airplane made from papier mâché. They were incredible.
So, when I learned that I had been selected as a finalist, I was pleasantly surprised, especially since this was my first year competing and I truly did not expect to advance. This meant that I had advanced to National History Day California in Sacramento.
Now, I had to figure out the logistics of getting to Sacramento for the competition. The most complicated part of this was finding the best way to transport my six-foot-tall exhibit from Los Angeles. My family does not have a car, so we had to find a suitable alternative. We considered delivery, but were worried about the exhibit potentially being damaged. We also considered flying, but would likely be unable to bring the exhibit on a plane, even if it were separated into two three-foot-tall boards and then put together again upon arrival in Sacramento. Eventually, we decided that taking an Amtrak train was the best option, even though a one-way trip took 14 hours. Luckily, we experienced no difficulties and were able to successfully transport the project, while the long train ride allowed us to take in the beautiful scenery of California.
For the five nights that we were in Sacramento, we stayed in a Motel 6. I taped the project, which I had separated into two pieces for transport, back together. The competition was held at Sacramento State University. After check-in, I was able to bring my exhibit and put it on display. On Saturday, May 3, I was interviewed by two judges who asked various questions on my topic and the thought process that went into selecting it.
I also had the opportunity to participate in the Civic Summit, which is held annually in collaboration with History Day California and provides students the ability to develop their civic engagement skills with a lesson from author Antonio White, as well as an engaging panel discussion event. Attendees also had the chance to visit the planetarium at Sacramento State University for various educational shows with spectacular images. I attended one show on the cosmos with my mom and sister.
History Day California has a two-layer process for selecting champions that advance to National History Day in Washington, D.C. First, there is a ceremony to determine finalists for each competing category. After that is a second ceremony, concluding History Day California by narrowing down the finalists into two champions, a runner-up, and an honorable mention per category. The first event in this process occurred later that evening on Saturday. Hundreds of students, teachers, and parents sat in the campus’ amphitheater, anxiously awaiting the results. As exhibits were called one by one, I soon realized that I was not a finalist, as did many other competitors. As expected, it was a disappointing feeling. However, I reminded myself to be proud of the work that I had put into my project. I had not even expected to make it to the state competition in the first place.
My mom, sister, and I attended the second ceremony the following morning. Although I was not a winner, I thought it was important to be there, especially to support new friends that I had made during the four days. The mood was energetic and exciting as songs like Chappell Roan’s “HOT TO GO!” and Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” played, although many were anxiously waiting to learn about this year’s victors. Eventually, winning exhibits began to be announced, including several projects from Los Angeles County.
As everyone walked past the doors, I had the opportunity to reflect on my first experience with History Day. Although I was not a state champion, I still had made it further than I originally expected, especially given the struggle with obtaining resources and having a space to construct my project. I was also able to learn new things from my research, was able to challenge myself with a new experience, and made many new friends, including some from Los Angeles — something that is especially valuable to me as I am a virtual student. With my mom and sister, I was also able to experience Sacramento by visiting the American River, taking rides on Sacramento’s light rail system and walking across the iconic yellow-colored Tower Bridge. This also included visiting the California State Capitol and meeting with State Assemblymember Jose Luis Solache Jr. and his staff for a second time, something I had first done during an LAUSD field trip to Sacramento earlier this year.
I am proud of how far I have come and am happy with the experience that I had. I hope that other students who may not know about History Day can learn about this opportunity to examine history and have fun at the same time. I also hope that more independent and virtual students are encouraged to participate in events like History Day, even if they are doing it solo, like I was. It isn’t just a competition — it’s a way to learn, grow, make friends, and create lasting memories for life.
