Humanities and History Competitions for Students

History is such an important subject of study, and for those students with a passion for the past, take a look at these competitive opportunities.

Davidson Institute: The Davidson Institute’s Young Scholars Program is a culmination of services designed to “nurture the intellectual, social, emotional, and academic development of profoundly intelligent young people between the ages of 5 and 18.”

For information on eligibility and application requirements for the Young Scholars Program, click here.

For information on the Davidson Institute’s Fellows Scholarship, click here.

The Emerson Prize: Every year, the Concord Review gives this award to high school students who show exemplary study in history.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Youth Contests and Awards: The SAR holds various contests (below) for young Americans every year in many different fields of study. The Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Oration Contest, for example, is a great opportunity for students in grades nine through twelve to show their interest in the American Revolution.

For younger competitors, the Americanism Elementary School Poster Contest is open for students in grades three through five.

The Arthur M. & Berdena King Eagle Scout Award gives a chance for actively enrolled Eagle Scouts under the age of nineteen to win up to $10,000.

If your young one is interested in a particular event or philosophy pertaining to the American Revolution, United States Constitution, or Declaration of Independence, encourage them to write an essay and submit it to the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest. All high school students in grades nine through twelve are eligible to apply and must write an 800–1,200 word essay.

The SAR Sgt. Moses Adams Memorial Middle School Brochure Contest is a great opportunity for students in grades six through eight.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology National High School Research Competition in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: Dubbed “the first and only national high school research competition in the humanities, arts, and social sciences” by MIT, INSPIRE gives students in grades nine through twelve the opportunity to see how their academic research stands up against peers from around the country.

National Genealogical Society: The NGS Rubincam Youth Award is open to high school Juniors and Seniors around the world who have a knack for this specific field of study.

Also, this list would be vastly empty without the National History Bee and National History Day. For those of you in the south, head to Mississippi for their smaller History Day competitions.

Stay tuned to KudosWall for more competitive endeavors to light the fire in the next generation.