Tobi Voigt, state coordinator for New York, says the competition is a fun event for students to participate in.

"The National History Day program is a great way for kids to explore American and national history," Voigt said. "It helps them to develop research, writing and critical thinking skills that will help them in college and in life."

About 5,000 students will be competing in the competition. This year’s theme is "triumph and tragedy in history." There are four official categories in which the students can participate that include a documentary, an exhibit, a dramatic performance and a history paper. There is a senior division (graded 6-8) and a junior division (grades 9-12). Students can choose to work independently or in groups in all of the categories besides the historical paper, which students must work alone.

Among the students who will participate in the NHD competition are Katie Anania and Kim Leon who placed first in the senior group exhibit category at the competition in Cooperstown. Their project was entitled "Tibet and the Dalai Lama: Triumph and Tragedy in the Himalayas."

"It’s really exciting," said Leon about going to compete in the competition. "We have been trying three years, so it is really cool."

The girls have worked together on projects for the past three years and have placed at Cooperstown, but this is the first year they have qualified to go on to the national competition.

Anania said she and her partner Leon put a lot of time into their project. She said they worked on the project nearly every weekend. Anania said one of the highlights of the project was getting to go to New York City to interview a Tibetan refugee.

"We really have fun researching," said Anania. "And when we get to interview people, that is pretty cool."

Both girls have taken an interest in Tibet and that part of the world. They were even able to travel to China together.

"It was something we heard a lot about in the news and knew a lot about so it sparked our interest," said Leon.

This is the 27th year the New York State Historical Association has hosted the History Day competition. According to Voigt, members of the New York State Historical Association will be going to Maryland to arrange tours for the students while at the competition. On the last day, there is a parade held where all the states are represented. New York students will be wearing costumes that go with a New York theme.

The History Channel will be having its annual Webcast of the NHD National Contest Awards Ceremony live from the College Park so families, friends, and schools in the United States and around the world can participate in the NHD festivities through the power of technology. Past winners are listed at nyhistoryday.org. This year’s winners will be added to the list.

Regardless of which category a student enters the competition, the same principles will be used for evaluating entries. The projects will be judged based on historical quality, clarity of presentation and adherence to theme.

According to national historyday.org, NHD started as a small contest in Cleveland in 1974.

Members of the history department at Case Western Reserve University developed the initial idea for a history contest to make teaching and learning history a fun and exciting experience.