Judges Information
Judges
The History Day program depends on volunteers from our communities to serve as judges. Would you like to volunteer?
If you are interested in being a judge:
Requirements: We welcome history professionals, teachers, college history majors and community volunteers to serve as the judges for the History Day competitions in Colorado. While some sort of formal background in history is useful, it is not a requirement. The key criteria to judge are a willingness to work with youth, a lively interest in history, a willingness to learn and apply the rules of the History Day program, and common sense.
Time commitment:
From 4-5 hours on the day of the competition. The 2024 Competition will be held on March 2, 2024.
In addition, if you judge entries in the Paper, or Web Site categories, you will receive the entries before the competition, and should have reviewed them BEFORE the day of the competition.
Training: We provide training for judges in the form of a self-paced orientation to the rules and forms used in the History Day program. Students have carefully prepared their entries according to the rules for their categories and are anxious to know that judges are familiar with the rules as well. We strongly encourage you to spend an hour or two going through the training materials, particularly if this is the first time you have judged at a History Day competition.
What we provide: The chance to meet young people who are excited about history, the opportunity to build connections with community members, and a HUGE thank-you!
Let us know: When you register, let us know whether you have a preference in terms of category (Papers, Exhibits, Performances, Documentaries or Web sites) or age group (Junior division: grades 6-8; Senior Division, grades 9-12), whether you are available to judge the preliminary round only, or both preliminary and final rounds
REMEMBER:
The judges are the most important people that students will meet at the competition! Your encouragement may be the reason students decide to participate in the History Day program again next year.
