Young historians showcase their research at annual competition hosted by Radford University

Moments before winners were announced for this year’s competition, an enthusiastic group of elementary, middle and high school students who had gathered inside Radford University’s Bonnie Hurlburt Student Center Auditorium was asked, “Who had a great time today?”

Most, if not all, thrust their hands high into the air, to the delight of event organizers and the teachers who helped prepare them for this day.

A couple of hours earlier, those same students, representing grades four to 12, showed off to judges what they’ve been researching and learning about for the past several months.

Since 1996, Radford University has hosted the Region 3 Virginia History Day competition, a project-based learning program for students around the commonwealth. 

This year, 175 students participated in the event held inside Radford’s Student Recreation and Wellness Center and the Bonnie, presenting their thoroughly researched topics in one of five mediums: exhibit, website, documentary, paper or performance. Topics varied from examinations of events like the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the Haitian revolution and the aftermath of 9-11. There were biographical explorations, too, into people such as Nellie Bly and Emmett Till. Some students chose to delve into controversial topics such as book banning, while others explored hat factory hazards and the history of “Saturday Night Live”.

Students presented their projects to judges armed with questions and clipboards, most of whom were Radford students, faculty and staff volunteering their time and efforts to ensure students received the full intended benefit of the competition. 

“We have judges each year from the Radford School of Teacher Education and Leadership, College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences – particularly the history and political science departments – the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL), McConnell Library, and other areas on campus,” said Region 3 competition organizer Darren Minarik, a professor of social studies education in Radford’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership. Minarik noted that Radford Provost Bethany Usher was among the many volunteer judges representing the university.

“We’ve been judging all morning, and we’ve learned a lot of new things that students are really passionate about,” said Dominika Butler, a senior middle school education major from Ashburn, Virginia, who is part of Minarik’s student teaching cohort at Radford this spring semester. “They’re a little bit nervous, but it’s just because they are so excited to be here. It’s really exciting for us to see that in the students.”

Twelve schools from five school divisions and three private schools participated in Virginia History Day, including Belle Heth Elementary, Blacksburg New School, Blacksburg High, Floyd Elementary, John N. Dalton Elementary, Kipps Elementary, North Cross School, Patrick Henry High of Roanoke, Pulaski County Middle, Pulaski County High, Radford High and Springhouse Community School. 

Still, Minarik would like to see more area schools participate.

“One of our goals is to expand our reach and encourage other school divisions that have not traditionally participated to get involved for 2027,” the professor said. “Our district is large, and hopefully we will see an increase from those areas in the coming years.”

Hosting the competition demonstrates that “Radford University is here to support the schools in our communities,” said John Jewell ’14, an assistant principal at Pulaski County Middle School. “They open their doors for everyone to come here and be part of this competition, and it shows they are so much about building relationships between the university and the schools.”

Minarik said he receives plenty of comments from teachers expressing how much their students enjoy the event and being welcomed to campus. “They enjoy being part of the university culture for a few hours,” he said. “I think the involvement from different parts of campus shows how the university cares about supporting regional and state initiatives like Virginia History Day that create interest in learning. It is good for us to support our local schools through the promotion of these types of contests.”

After a couple of hours of presenting their projects in late morning, student competitors enjoyed lunch in Dalton Hall and in the Bonnie while judges gathered in a room on the lower floor of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center to carefully deliberate and decide which projects would receive first, second and third place, as well as honorable mention.

In the early afternoon, competitors waited patiently in the Bonnie Auditorium, along with teachers and family members, hoping their names would be called.

First-, second- and third-place winners advance to the late-April state competition at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond, Virginia. Winners there will move on to the national competition in June at the University of Maryland.

Before winners were announced, Minarik and School of Teacher Education and Leadership Director Amanda Bozack encouraged the students, many of whom expressed through a raising of hands that they had enjoyed the experience, to consider a career in education.

“Think about becoming a teacher because you will have the opportunity to inspire and light a fire in other people the same way these teachers did for you,” Bozack said.

“It’s not just a job,” Minarik added, “it’s a service, a lifelong service.”