Emily Fou, a student at Thomas Grover Middle School in West Windsor, New Jersey recently competed in the National History Day National Contest, held at the University of Maryland at College Park from June 8–12. She was awarded the E Pluribus Unum Special Prize, which celebrates people in history who challenged the status quo.
The 2025 contest theme was Rights and Responsibilities in History. Fou joined more than half a million students globally who completed historical research projects in one of five categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance or website. She created a Junior Individual Documentary project titled: “The Draft That Shaped A Nation: The Struggle Between Duty and Freedom During the Vietnam War.”
After completing their projects, students competed in a series of contests beginning at the local level. Fou earned 1st place at the New Jersey Regional competition and 1st place at the New Jersey State competition. The top students in each project category from both middle and high school divisions in 49 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and international schools are invited to compete in the annual NHD National Contest.
540 historians and education professionals served as judges for the students’ work. More than 100 students took home cash prizes between $250 and $2,000 for superior work in a particular category of judging.
NHD is a non-profit organization based in College Park, Maryland, that seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history. Established in 1974, NHD currently engages more than half a million students each year in conducting original research on historical topics of interest and supports teachers through professional development opportunities. For more information, visit nhd.org.
