Troup High Wins National History Day Finals Washington D.C. 2026

Key Points

• Six Troup High School students from LaGrange, Georgia, traveled to Washington, D.C., to compete in the National History Day finals
• The students presented AP European History projects as their semester final, counting for 20% of their course grade
• Two groups advanced to nationals: one created an exhibit on mental health reform in 1800s Europe, the other made a documentary about Ireland’s 1916 Easter uprising
• All 12 students from Dr. Chance Giddens’ AP European History class advanced from regionals to state competition at LaGrange College
• Six students won at state level and qualified for nationals held this past week in Washington, D.C.
• Travel costs including airfare, lodging, meals, and transportation were fully covered by local sponsors: Diverse Power, Mike Patton Auto, Troup County Historical Society, and Troup County School System
• Students stayed in dorms at the University of Maryland during their trip
• Dr. Giddens has conducted National History Day projects for 15 years, with only three to four groups reaching nationals historically
• The 2024-2025 competition theme was “Revolution, Reaction and Reform in History”
• Students presented projects as papers, performances, websites, documentaries, or exhibits, individually or in groups

Washington (Evening Washington News) June 20, 2026 – Six Troup High School students recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to compete in the finals of the annual National History Day competition, marking a significant achievement for the Georgia high school as they presented their AP European History projects on the national stage. As reported by the school’s official announcement, Dr. Chance Giddens, Troup High School history teacher, confirmed that the students competed in the National History Day finals and toured the capital with travel costs covered entirely by local sponsors.

How Did Troup High Students Advance From Regionals to National Competition?

The path to Washington began with 12 students from Dr. Giddens’ AP European History class participating in the regional competition, where they presented their projects either individually or as groups. According to Dr. Giddens as reported by the school announcement,

“All 12 students advanced to the state competition by either winning or placing second at regionals at LaGrange College.”

Two groups comprising a total of six students then won at the state-level competition, earning their advancement to the nationals held this past week in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Giddens explained the academic structure behind the competition as reported by the school:

“It counts as their final for the course. We have to give a test or a project that accounts for 20 percent of their grade, so in AP Euro, I have them do this project.”

He further clarified that

“It’s a semester-long project, but it’s also one of the rare points in their educational careers where they get to choose what they want to learn about,”

noting that students only need to fit their topic into the annual theme when deciding their project subject.

What Were the Specific Projects Presented by Troup High at Nationals?

The two advancing groups presented distinct historical projects aligned with the competition’s theme. As reported by the school announcement,

“One of the groups presented an exhibit about mental health reform in Europe in the 1800s and the other group made a documentary about the Easter uprising in Ireland in 1916.”

Both projects directly addressed the 2024-2025 National History Day theme of “Revolution, Reaction and Reform in History,” as confirmed by Dr. Giddens.

Students had multiple format options for their presentations. According to Dr. Giddens as reported by the school, participants presented

“either a paper, a performance, a website, a documentary, or an exhibit, either individually or as a group.”

This flexibility allowed students to choose the medium that best suited their historical topic and research approach.

How Long Has Dr. Giddens Conducted National History Day Projects at Troup High?

Dr. Giddens brings extensive experience to the National History Day program at Troup High School. As reported by the school announcement,

“Giddens said he has been doing National History Day projects at the high school level for about 15 years.”

However, reaching the national competition remains a rare achievement. Dr. Giddens noted that

“these are only his third and fourth groups that have advanced to the national competition,” highlighting the exceptional nature of this year’s six students.

The 15-year duration of the program demonstrates sustained commitment to historical education beyond standard curriculum requirements.

The fact that only three to four groups have reached nationals in 15 years underscores the competitive difficulty of advancing through regional, state, and national layers of the competition.

What Support Enabled Students to Travel to Washington, D.C.?

The students’ trip to Washington, D.C., was made possible through comprehensive financial support from local businesses and organizations. As reported by the school announcement,

“Donations from local businesses and organizations help defray travel costs, so with the help of Diverse Power, Mike Patton Auto, the Troup County Historical Society and the Troup County School System, all seven had their trips covered, including airfare, lodging, meals and other transportation.”

The sponsorship covered all travel expenses completely, ensuring that financial barriers did not prevent the students from competing nationally.

The diverse group of sponsors included energy companies (Diverse Power), automotive businesses (Mike Patton Auto), historical organizations (Troup County Historical Society), and the educational institution itself (Troup County School System).

This community-wide support demonstrated local investment in student achievement and historical education.

During their Washington trip, the students stayed in dorms at the University of Maryland, as confirmed by the school announcement. This accommodation arrangement provided practical lodging while keeping the students within the greater Washington metropolitan area for competition and capital tours.

Why Does National History Day Matter for AP European History Students?

The National History Day project serves as a meaningful capstone experience for AP European History students, combining academic rigor with student autonomy. Dr. Giddens explained the educational value as reported by the school:

“It’s a semester-long project, but it’s also one of the rare points in their educational careers where they get to choose what they want to learn about.”

This student-driven approach to historical research fosters deeper engagement than traditional testing methods.

The project’s weight as 20% of the course grade ensures serious academic commitment while allowing creative exploration. Students must demonstrate mastery of historical research methods, source analysis, and thematic connection to the annual competition theme.

The variety of presentation formats—papers, performances, websites, documentaries, and exhibits—accommodates different learning styles and research strengths.

The advancement from 12 regional participants to 6 national competitors represents a 50% success rate at the state level, demonstrating the quality of Troup High’s historical education program.

This achievement places Troup High among the schools producing nationally competitive history students, a distinction that reflects both student effort and instructional quality.

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Background of the National History Day Development

National History Day is an annual competition that challenges students to conduct original historical research and present their findings in various formats.

The program operates through a three-tier competition structure: regional, state, and national levels. Students must advance through each tier to reach the national finals in Washington, D.C.

The competition operates under an annual theme that guides student research topics. For the 2024-2025 competition year, the theme was “Revolution, Reaction and Reform in History,” requiring students to explore historical events and movements through this conceptual framework.

This theme aligns with AP European History curriculum objectives, which emphasize understanding causes and consequences of historical transformations.

Dr. Chance Giddens has integrated National History Day into his AP European History class at Troup High School for approximately 15 years. The project functions as the course final, replacing or supplementing traditional testing.

This pedagogical approach emphasizes project-based learning and student autonomy in topic selection while maintaining academic rigor through the 20% grade weight requirement.

The rarity of Troup High groups reaching nationals—only three to four in 15 years—indicates the competition’s difficulty and the exceptional nature of this year’s achievement.

National History Day attracts thousands of participants across the United States, with national finals representing the highest level of student historical research competition.

Prediction: How This Development Can affect Troup High Students and the Local Community

This national competition achievement can significantly affect the six Troup High students who participated in multiple dimensions.

Academically, the experience provides exposure to national-level historical research competition, potentially influencing future college choices and academic trajectories. Students who compete at nationals often develop enhanced research skills, public presentation abilities, and confidence in their academic capabilities that transfer to future coursework.

The students’ exposure to Washington, D.C., including tours of the capital, provides valuable civic education experience.

Visiting national historical sites, museums, and government buildings while simultaneously competing in a history competition creates a reinforced learning environment that connects classroom study with real historical locations and institutions.

For Troup High School, this achievement enhances the school’s reputation in historical education and academic competitions. Schools with national competition winners often attract students interested in rigorous academic programs, potentially increasing enrollment in AP courses and history programs.

The achievement may also influence school administrators to continue or expand support for similar competitive programs.

The local community sponsors—Diverse Power, Mike Patton Auto, Troup County Historical Society, and Troup County School System—demonstrate community investment in student achievement. This type of successful collaboration often encourages continued or expanded sponsorship of student programs, creating a sustainable model for supporting student travel to competitive events. The community’s positive response to these students’ achievement may inspire other local businesses to support educational initiatives.

For Dr. Giddens’ AP European History program, this success validates the project-based assessment approach and may encourage continuation or expansion of the National History Day integration. The achievement demonstrates that the program produces students capable of competing at the highest levels, potentially influencing curriculum decisions and resource allocation for history programs.

The financial support model that covered all travel costs demonstrates a viable approach for overcoming economic barriers to student competition participation.

This model may be replicated for other student groups seeking to compete in national events, potentially expanding access to competitive opportunities for students who might otherwise be unable to participate due to cost constraints.