State History Day Judge Information
In general, judges are espected to arrive for an orientation that begins one hour before judging. Watch your e-mail for judge information about one to two weeks in advance of the event. Please email Sarah Aschbrenner with any questions.
Documentary, Exhibit, Paper, Performance, and Website Judges
- Video Overview
- Theme Sheet
- Directions and Map
- General Schedule for Judges
- General Judging Process and Tips
- General Judging Instructions
- Category-Specific Judging Instructions
Topcial Prize Judges
In-Depth Judge Training Sessions
Come meet with staff and fellow judges during an extended, optional training session. All event judges will receive an orientation prior to judging on the day of the event, so this training session is not required to judge for History Day. However, the judge workshop will allow you to:
- Gain a deeper understanding of the judging criteria
- Meet experienced judges
- View sample student projects from past years
- Ask questions about the judging process
- 2019 dates will be posted in December
General Training Materials
- Theme
- Sample Projects
- Rulebook
- Judge Instructions
- Judging Rubrics
Expectations of Judges
As a judge, History Day events are rewarding experiences. The History Day program, students, and teachers will also be relying on you as a critical part of the educational process. Here is what you can expect at History Day event, as well as what the program expects of you as a judge.
As a judge, you will:
- Sign up in advance on the website.
- Attend a judge orientation the day of the event.
- Work with another volunteer to review projects and interview students.
- Select the strongest projects to advance to the next level of competition.
- Provide written feedback about each project you view.
As a judge, you are responsible to:
- Arrive on time to all events for which you sign up and stay until the judging process is completed.
- Let us know as soon as possible if your schedule changes and you are unable to judge.
- Remember the age of your audience. Some students are as young as 6th grade and may be nervous to discuss their work. Ask questions which prompt students to provide information, and be patient if they are shy or anxious.
- Pay careful attention so you can evaluate well. Students have worked for months on their projects and are looking forward this opportunity to share their work.
- Judges should avoid distractions such as personal phone calls, texts, etc. during the event. Judges may not bring minor children that they need to supervise to the event.
- Let the History Day staff know right away if there are problems. We are here to help!
We appreciate your time and will do our best to make this experience rewarding for everyone involved!
