We’re thrilled to share that New Mexico students brought home top honors from the 2025 National History Day® (NHD) contest in College Park, Maryland! Out of approximately 3000 finalists from around the world, New Mexico students placed in the Top Ten in three national categories, and earned two standout awards: History of Place and Indigenous History.

From a documentary on the Exxon Valdez spill to a paper examining witchcraft accusations in Colonial Nueva España, students delivered powerful, well-researched projects aligned with this year’s theme, Rights and Responsibilities in History. One student earned national recognition for work on the Rwandan genocide, while another received honors for a performance spotlighting Olympic trailblazer, Liz Hartel.

Among the many highlights, two students whose projects were named Outstanding Entries at the Junior and Senior levels, an honor reserved for standout work representing our state.

We’re equally excited to welcome new NHD teachers from Las Cruces, Farmington, and Rio Rancho who joined the program this academic year, helping to expand opportunities for students across our state.

A heartfelt thank-you goes out to our volunteer judges who supported students throughout the contest season and helped them refine their work into strong quality projects. We also thank our partner, the New Mexico Department of Cultural affairs for their ongoing support of our History Day program.

To all our students and educators, congratulations! Your work continues to inspire us all.