National History Day, a nationwide competition where students research and present a history topic, has recently been hit hard by budget cuts. The competition, which encourages students to develop critical research, writing, and analytical skills, has lost significant funding due to cuts in the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), a key federal agency that supports educational programs, historical research, and public humanities initiatives.
President Donald Trump cut the federal budget for the NEH by $336,000, severely impacting programs like National History Day. These cuts put the future of the national competition at risk, leaving hosts and participants stressed to raise the necessary funds to hold the event this June. Without these funds, the competition may not be able to take place.
National History Day is more than just a competition. It is a valuable educational opportunity that helps students hone essential life skills such as critical thinking, research methods, and effective communication. The event is an invaluable part of the academic experience, particularly for students like those at WRMS, who have been invited to participate and are working tirelessly to raise the funds necessary to attend the national competition.
Mrs. Dowell, a WERC teacher at WRMS, shared her thoughts on the impact of these funding cuts, “The current administration cut funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in large part helps fund student and teacher learning, including grants that support programs like National History Day. Cutting funds to the NEH means cuts to programs like National History Day, which hurts the future of education and the education of generations that will someday lead our country.”
Some students are sad about losing funding, here’s some of their opinions on it. Eight grader Penelope Houser said, “I’m really disappointed and the budget for the new administration did not need to cut the funding, it wasn’t needed. They could have used other stuff but to cut a competition for history for kids is dumb.” Eight grader Thomas Reed, another student who participates in History Day said, “national history day losing funding is pretty disappointing. I don’t know if we will be able to continue. It’s really fundamental for kids to get that learning in history so it’s pretty sad.”
The funding cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities not only threaten the future of National History Day but also jeopardize an essential platform that fosters critical academic and life skills in students across the country. Without immediate financial support, the opportunity for young learners to engage deeply with history and develop into informed, thoughtful citizens could be lost.
