Welcome to regional event season! Our events begin today with Metro Senior at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, and throughout the month of March, 11 other events will take place at various locations. To see a list of all event locations, visit the Event Info website.

If you are new to the History Day competition process, here are some helpful hints to get you through your exciting, yet sometimes nerve-wracking experience at the regional events.

1. Get your registration forms in on time. Schedules need to be made in advance, and if we don’t have your forms well before the event, we don’t know that you need a space at the event.

2. Dress accordingly. Remember that this is an academic competition, and you are presenting yourself as a historian. Leave your pajama pants and ratty t-shirts at home!

3. Bring at least four paper copies of your bibliography and process paper. Don’t bring them only on a flash drive!

4. Arrive early to register and check out your judging space. It’s good to know the layout of your judging room or where your exhibit will be.

5. Greet the judges with a smile and a handshake. Don’t be too nervous around the judges; they are there to learn from your project.

6. View other people’s projects. This is a time for you to learn, too.

7. If you advance to state, your registration deadline is April 2, 2010.

8. Enjoy yourself! This is a great time to present your work, hang out with your friends, look at some amazing projects, and add something impressive to your academic resume.

For those teachers who had students submit papers or websites for judging yesterday, here is what your students can expect from the judging process.

1. This week, the History Day staff will sort all the papers and websites into judge teams and send them out to our judges.
2. The judges will evaluate the papers and websites and choose their top entries. Judge decisions are due to us by March 27.
3. Paper and website finalists will be notified by the History Day staff of their advancement to the next level by April 3. Students who do not receive notification will not be advancing.
4. Finalists will receive their judge sheets and can make any revisions they choose for the state competition. Revised papers and websites are due to the History Day office by April 20.
5. Although only notified finalists will be interviewed at the state contest, all paper and website students will receive their judge sheets by about the second week of April.
6. Finalists will be interviewed at the state competition on Saturday, May 2. Two papers and two websites from each age division will be chosen to represent Minnesota at the national competition. Non-finalist papers will be on display at the state event, but unfortunately, space and technology will not allow us to display all websites.

If you have any questions about this process, please let us know. Finalists are encouraged to make changes before state, based on judge comments and teacher input.