Secondary students participated in the National History Day (NHD) Korea contest at Seoul International School (SIS) on Feb. 22. Centered around the theme “Rights and Responsibilities,” the event allowed students to showcase their months-long projects and earn well-deserved recognition.

With nearly 800 participants, this year’s competition saw one of the highest levels of participation in its history. “There were definitely a lot more people this year compared to the previous years. Last year, I believe there were only 17 to 18 groups, but this year, there were over 20. Since I won in eighth grade and again in ninth grade, many people had high expectations, and I was also pressured, thinking there was this invisible streak going on,” said sophomore Sophie Lee.

To ensure the event proceeded seamlessly, SIS affiliates referred to feedback from attendees and judges last year for modifications. “We make changes every year. This year, the biggest change was the addition of history frame photoshoots, stand-up comedy, dance performances, and more to keep the students busy,” said co-affiliate coordinator Steve Nave.

Among the changes, a shift in the judging process sparked discussion. Due to the high number of participants, each category was divided into five pools, with only the top project from each advancing to the finals. 

While the modified system aimed for efficiency, some questioned its effect on advancing to the finals. “In previous years, the top four scorers had a chance to advance based purely on their performance, but now, advancing depends on classroom placement rather than overall ranking. Now, luck plays a bigger role than the project quality in qualifying for the finals,” said freshman Jason Kim.

Nevertheless, the participants’ efforts shone through at the awards ceremony. Recipients expressed emotions beyond mere excitement. Upon being named first-place recipients in the senior group documentary category, Roy Kim and his teammates exchanged emotional outbursts. “Winning this competition means so much to us. When I saw my name up on the screen for first place, I was extremely thrilled, and my teammates and I literally cried. We spent months researching, editing and refining our project so the moment was so special,” Kim said.

Eighth graders Stella Lee, Christine An, and Jules Youn claimed the top three spots, marking a three-peat. “There were only four people in the category, so we were already in the finals. I expected to be at least in third place, and then I got second place, and although it wasn’t unexpected, I still felt good,” said eighth grader Christine An. 

The NHD Korea Competition yielded successful outcomes, with the 1st and 2nd place winners set to compete at the national level in early June at the University of Maryland. In preparation for the international competition, participants now aim to advance their projects.

Congratulations to all students who received recognition at the NHD Korea Competition:

1st place

Katniss Kim (Junior Individual Exhibit)

Kelly Park (Junior Individual Website)

Stella Lee (Junior Individual Performance)

Kyla Ahn (Junior Individual Documentary)

Apple Jun (Senior Individual Paper)

Sally Lee (Senior Individual Website)

Agnew Kim, Kaylie Jeong, Roy Kim, William Seo (Senior Group Documentary)

Leewen Wang, Oliver Park (Senior Group Website)

2nd Place

Christine An (Junior Individual Performance)

Charlie Park (Junior Individual Website)

Ann Oh, Minju Koo (Junior Group Exhibit)

Bryan Lee, Haydn Mangione, Sophie Lee (Senior Group Documentary)

3rd Place

Jules Youn (Junior Individual Performance)

Thomas Kim (Senior Individual Website)

Gallery • 6 Photos

Esther Choi

Overcome with joy, Senior Group Documentary freshmen team William Seo, Agnew Kim, and Kaylie Jeong cradle their heads in sheer ecstasy upon hearing the first place announcement. Their documentary on the Jeju 4.3 incident left a lasting impact, highlighting a pivotal moment in Korean history.