On Monday, February 13, 2012, President Barack Obama awarded the 2011 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal. National History Day, a year-long academic program that encourages 6th to 12th grade students to engage in hands-on historical research, was awarded the 2011 National Humanities Medal. The offices of National History Day are based at the University of Maryland at College Park. Dr. Cathy Gorn, executive director of NHD, accepted the award on behalf of the NHD staff, board and honorary advisory council.
National History Day had its beginnings at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, but now operates in all fifty states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories. There are international endeavors as well, with expansion into Europe, China, Indonesia, and South Korea. In all, the program serves more than half a million children each year.
NHD culminates each year in a national competition held each June at the University of Maryland at College Park.
Read more about the program at National History Day.
A full list of recipients and their achievements is available at whitehouse.gov.