Press

Media Contact:
Jaclyn Keegan
(518) 474-1201
Press@nysed.gov
www.nysed.gov

This Year’s Theme is “Rights and Responsibilities in History” 

Students from across the region will compete at this weekend’s Capital Region History Day, which will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the New York State Museum.

Participants will showcase projects exploring this year's theme, "Rights and Responsibilities in History." The event offers an exciting opportunity for students to delve into historical questions and present their research on local, regional, national, or global topics connected to the theme.

This year’s contest will include students from various Capital Region schools, including Acadia Middle School, Bright Hope Academy Center, Emma Willard School, Farnsworth Middle School, Mechanicville Junior/Senior High School, Muralimanohar Home School, Shaker High School, and Shenendehowa High School.

New York State Historian Devin Lander said, “Capital Region History Day presents the perfect opportunity for students to unlock their curiosity surrounding various historical events, movements, and topics. Independent research helps to open the door for them to develop a new appreciation surrounding what they learn in the classroom, leading to a lifelong understanding of the interconnection between both historic and current affairs.”

Student research can be presented in one of five categories: Historical Paper, Exhibit Board, Documentary, Performance, or Website. Divisions are broken into two groups, Junior (6th-8th grade students) and Senior (9th-12th grade students). A team of 14 volunteer judges, comprised of staff from the Office of Cultural Education and other area institutions, will meet one-on-one with presenters and complete category-specific rubrics to evaluate student work. Selected entries will win special prizes and advance to the next level of competition. 

Projects will be on display throughout the Museum, including in the Huxley Theater and Museum lab. The day will follow the below schedule: 

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.: Student & Teacher Registration

9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Contest Judging

12:00 - 2:30 p.m.: Judges Tabulation & Public Viewing of Exhibits

3:30 - 4:15 p.m.: Award Ceremony

Student winners at Capital Region History Day will advance to the New York State History Day competition, taking place on April 27, 2025, at SUNY Oneonta. The top performers from the state-level competition will then have the opportunity to compete against students from across the nation at National History Day, held from June 8-12 at the University of Maryland.

About the Cultural Education Center

Established in 1836, the New York State Museum is the oldest and largest public museum in the United States. Home to leading scientists, historians, archeologists, and anthropologists, its collections represent the State’s rich cultural and natural heritage from the past and present, including a staggering 20+ million artifacts spanning 1.1 billion years ago to today. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. For additional information, visit the New York State Museum website and subscribe to our newsletter. 

The New York State Library, established in 1818, is the largest state library system in the nation and one of the largest research libraries in North America. It oversees a vast network of more than 7,000 libraries statewide. Collections are made available onsite and through a robust interlibrary loan program. The Library’s mission is advanced through several key divisions, including the Research Library, which houses a collection of over 20 million items, the Talking Book and Braille Library, and the Division of Library Development. The Library preserves and maintains invaluable historical collections and works, and serves as a Regional Depository for federal publications. Additionally, the State Library is the official repository of New York State government publications, ensuring their enduring preservation and accessibility for future generations. For more information, please visit the New York State Library website and subscribe to our quarterly newsletter.  

The New York State Archives holds many of the oldest and most important archival treasures in the nation. The Archives preserves and makes accessible over 250 million records of New York’s State and colonial governments dating from 1630 to the present. The State Archives provides free access to photographs, artifacts, documents, manuscripts, and other materials that tell the story of New York’s history via its Digital Collections on the Archives website.  

The Archives Partnership Trust was founded in 1992 to build an endowment and provide project support to enhance humanities programs, increase access to these outstanding treasures, and continue the preservation of New York's historical records. Since its founding, the Partnership Trust, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has supported exceptional projects and programs. These include the Research Residency Program, the Student Research Awards Program, history conferences, special exhibitions, public education programs, book signings and lectures, publications, teacher training institutes, preservation projects, and more.

The State Museum, State Library, and State Archives are programs of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or by visiting the Office of Cultural Education website.    

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