Castilleja Celebrates National History Day
Castilleja students take history seriously—all year long.
They also take issues that impact women seriously—all year long. Put that together, and during Women’s History Month, you get an especially impressive showing at the National History Day (NHD) Santa Clara County finals. NHD is a competition that invites 6th through 12th grade students to dive deeply into a topic from the past by conducting extensive research and then presenting their discoveries and conclusions through papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or websites. The process culminates in a series of events where the submissions are evaluated by historians and educators. On Sunday, March 10, a total of 45 Castilleja students presented 19 projects from 8th grade and three projects from Upper School.
Castilleja first began competing in NHD 15 years ago with just six entries. In thinking back on the decision to launch this program with her classes, Dr. Heather PangHA ’84, explains, “In 8th grade, the projects that students take on for NHD provide the foundational skills they need as historians. Through a collaboration with the library, they learn critical research skills, and they practice how to sustain a project over time.”
NHD has since become a capstone experience that also builds a bridge to Upper School History and Social Sciences courses. Throughout the year, 8th grade students follow an intentional process. In September and October, they practice thinking like historians and develop research skills with additional support from Instructional and Programming Librarian Tasha Bergson-MichelsonHA. During November, they form groups around a shared interest, and by December they begin writing. In January and February, they finish their projects with a presentation or display, and some groups move forward to the county competition.
In 2016, Dr. Christy StoryHA, also with support from the library, opened NHD to the Upper School at the request of students who had loved the process so much in 8th grade that they wanted to continue, and she has seen a positive impact over time. “We aim to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of history, encouraging students to find new ways to engage critically with the past and consider its implications for the present and future,” Dr. Story says.
The main difference in the Upper School is that NHD begins in the summer—when Dr. Story holds Zoom workshops to help students determine their topics and begin research—and then shifts study hall meetings with Dr. Story and Ms. Bergson-Michelson throughout the school year. The excitement to bring these projects to fruition is a two-way street because Dr. Story and the students are all taking on NHD in addition to their regular classwork.
Ms. Bergson-Michelson works with all NHD students across both divisions. "I am inspired by the range of topics students select and the ways their chosen moments hold individual meaning," she says. Eighth grade students clearly benefit from this voice and choice, and already are reflecting on the value of this experience:
Ire A., whose group's podcast focused on the book Our Bodies, Ourselves and its significance as a turning point to empower women, believes agency is important. “I enjoyed collaborating with my classmates to investigate a topic of personal interest to us, while also improving my historical research skills.”
Melody H., who worked on an exhibit on the Manhattan Project, feels that Castilleja’s collaborative learning approach prevails, “You can choose what you are interested in and create an argument. Overall, even though there is competition, everyone is so supportive of each other.”
Esme K., who worked on a documentary on the case Brown vs. Board of Education and the road to desegregation, finds value presenting to an audience of historians, noting, “I enjoyed getting to exhibit my work and get feedback from the judges. I am glad Castilleja participates in NHD. It was an incredible experience.”
Dalia M., who worked on a podcast about Truman’s recognition of Israel, explains, “What I found most valuable is that I got to pick a topic that was important and meaningful to me. I loved that I got to showcase my project to different people.”
Upper School students are also aware of the importance of the work and the meaning they find in it:
Priscilla C. ’25, whose research focuses on how the creation of Hangul (the Korean language's writing system) helped advance gender equality in Korea, understands that her learning extends beyond NHD. “It was fulfilling to look into areas I'm passionate about, like linguistics, feminist movements, and Asian culture, then use my research to construct arguments allowed me to further develop my analytical and creative writing skills, which I have been able to implement in other classes.”
Julia K. ’25, who created a documentary focused on the impact of Norman Borlaug's pioneering work in agriculture, feels this experience is a hidden gem. “NHD is such an underrated and valuable activity to engage in during high school," she says. "It allows students the opportunity to explore their passions and interests, find historical connections, and apply that research to various media formats.”
Castilleja’s Director of College Counseling and Upper School Academic Policy Gabi McColgan is an enthusiastic fan of the role that NHD can play in a student’s academic life. “Students develop a deep understanding of the nuances of society and public policy in ways that enrich their own lives, allow them to be better citizens of the world, and set them up for enormous success when they get to college.”
Alum Sara Zoroufy ’18 is a perfect example of this trajectory. In 8th grade, she explains, “I wrote a paper on the UC Berkeley's Free Speech Movement in the 1960s, and I remember feeling excited by the challenge of conducting primary source research.” When the opportunity arose to continue NHD in 9th grade, she jumped at the chance. “Learning how to conduct scholarly research of this scope and depth so early in high school was truly a gift.” In her current work in immunology and cancer biology, she is constantly drawing on those research skills, but she sees an even more important benefit. “Learning to view scholarship as a conversation between experts and knowing from a young age that I can participate in that conversation gave me confidence as I stepped into the world of scientific research as a woman. In many ways, NHD was a formative educational experience for which I remain deeply grateful," she says.
Last year, for the first time, Castilleja’s NHD participants held a showcase to share all of their hard work with the community. To learn more about this year’s projects, be sure to come to this year’s showcase on campus on Wednesday, May 20, from 4:30 to 6:00pm.
