On April 24-25, 2025, the Utah Historical Society was honored to host 457 students in grades 4-12 at the 44th annual National History Day in Utah State Contest, held at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. These students came from 63 different schools across the state, including Logan, Ogden, Bountiful, Tooele, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, West Valley City, Taylorsville, West Jordan, Midvale, Sandy, Draper, Alpine, Orem, Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, Price, Castle Dale, Beaver, Bicknell, St. George, and San Juan County.
During the 2024-2025 school year, National History Day in Utah (NHD Utah) touched the lives of 5,357 students across the state, along with their families, teachers, and schools. Aged 9 through 18, these students are from a range of communities from Logan to St. George, including Blanding, Beaver, Price, and the Wasatch Front. Students advanced to the state championships from 10 regional and district contests held locally.
Working from the theme Rights and Responsibilities in History, students researched topics from politics and war, from science and technology to civil rights and women’s history. Through their explorations, they made connections between the decisions and actions of the past and the world they know. NHD Utah students report that their History Day experience gives them a deeper understanding of how the past shapes the present, and makes them feel more prepared for college, career, and civic engagement in their communities.
NHD Utah’s 2025 national delegation was announced at the Junior-Senior division awards ceremony on April 25. The top two entries from each Junior and Senior division category qualify to compete at the NHD national contest. They will travel to Washington, DC, June 7-12, to compete at the University of Maryland, College Park.
At the state contest alone, 100 judges volunteered their time to evaluate student work, engage with students, and provide written feedback on their projects. Judges include educators, public historians, professionals from archives, museums, libraries, public television, and theater, and community members who care deeply about history education.
Here, you will find contest results for our three age divisions, including special awards, category awards, category finalists, educator awards, and participating schools.
2025 NHD UTAH EDUCATOR AWARDS
Mike Johnson Teacher of the Year
Krista White, Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School
Krista, who teaches English Language Arts, has been an NHD educator at Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School and a co-coordinator of the regional contest in St. George for more than 10 years. Krista also organizes a schoolwide National History Day Showcase, providing her students with an authentic audience to share their work. This event not only highlights their efforts but also fosters excitement among other students and teachers, encouraging them to participate in future projects. Many students return to NHD year after year, inspired by their positive experiences in her classroom. Her students have gone on to win regional and state awards after Krista’s guidance and encouragement. National History Day in Southern Utah owes its success to the unwavering commitment and expertise that Krista White brings to the table. Her impact on the lives of hundreds of students over the years is immeasurable.
Errol Jones Service Award
Scott Lambert, Social Studies Specialist, Canyons School District
Scott is the social studies specialist for Canyons School District. Over the last 10 years, Scott Lambert’s dedication to NHD has been instrumental in its success and growth in Canyons District schools. As the number of Canyons students who participate in History Day have increased, Scott always finds ways to support and help both teachers and students. One Canyons teacher noted, “In the eleven years my students have been competing in History Day, Scott has never missed a year to come to my classroom and help judge student projects.” He promotes the program across the district, offers training, and brings teachers who are interested in doing History Day to come judge the projects so they can see what NHD is all about. “Scott’s advocacy and support ensure that teachers have the resources and encouragement needed to be successful in NHD.”
Raquel Jones, Coordinator, Salt Lake Regional NHD Contest
Raquel is a teacher at James Moss Elementary in South Salt Lake, and she has been the coordinator of Utah’s largest regional contest for 11 years. In her role as the Salt Lake Regional NHD Coordinator, she has worked on behalf of students and teachers to provide a meaningful and well organized event. To support the contest, she nurtures ongoing partnerships with Salt Lake Community College and other sponsors. She has worked tirelessly to create contest systems and materials that are intuitive and helpful for teachers and students, and she has played a crucial role helping NHD develop the zFairs contest management system. Her technical and educational skills have been truly invaluable to the growth and sustainability of the Salt Lake Regional and statewide NHD program.
For more information on the NHD 2025 state contest results, click here.
Please note: National History Day does not censor student entries based upon content. This means that the views and opinions expressed in student entries are those of the students and/or the sources cited in their projects. They may not represent the views or opinions of the Utah Historical Society.