Since 1974, National History Day (NHD) has been inspiring students to study history. Today, the nonprofit organization reaches over 500,000 students every year who conduct historical research to discover the past, understand the present, and be the future. Tens of thousands of teachers expand their history knowledge – and NHD’s workshops, webinars, and professional development opportunities help them develop their teaching skills.
The organization recently lost more than $300,000 in grants, and now their programming is in jeopardy.
Our founder, Stephen Ambrose, developed one of the most beloved Study Abroad opportunities at the University of New Orleans. Today, we carry on his legacy, organizing educational tours for high school and college students. We whole-heartedly support National History Day’s mission to improve the teaching of history to America’s youth.
We’d like to share a letter from Rick Beyer, who leads the Ghost Army Tour, about his involvement with NHD through the Ghost Army Legacy Foundation. Please read and consider donating to this vital educational organization.
National History Day Needs Your Support
On behalf of the Ghost Army Legacy Project, I’d like to ask you to pitch in to help National History Day, which is in dire need.
For the last 17 years, it has been my great pleasure each year to assist middle-school and high-school students working on NHD projects about the Ghost Army. Madison Atterbury was the first student we worked with, back in 2008.
Some of these projects have progressed to the state and national finals. Caleb Sinnwell won the national award in his category in 2021. And there have been many others whose interest in history was fueled, at least in part, by NHD.
For much of its 50-year history, NHD has relied on grant money from the National Endowment for the Humanities to engage and inspire millions of young people to study and learn about our country’s past.
Now that funding has been eliminated. Hundreds of thousands of dollars gone, in the blink of an eye.
The loss of this support will be devastating to NHD. It comes at a moment when national test scores show a marked decline in students’ knowledge of history.
I have reached out to Cathy Gorn, Executive Director of NHD, about their funding situation. She writes: “We are committed to continuing with the national contest this June but will have to re-evaluate our future programming without these crucial funds.”
National History Day fosters an appreciation and understanding of the lessons of history.
We encourage you to support this vital effort.
Thank you.
Rick Beyer
President, Ghost Army Legacy Foundation
