For middle school and high school students participating in the Wisconsin competitions of National History Day in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Labor History Society annually offers cash prizes for the best projects that are based on American labor history. For a list of the winning projects for Spring 2021, click here.
Middle and high school students were also awarded $50 cash prizes for having the top projects with a labor history theme in the seven regional events, leading up to the state contest. Winning projects in the state contest are eligible for additional cash prizes. The top state winners are sent on to a national competition in Washington DC.
In 2019, the national winner was a Wisconsin middle-school student, Anna Pearce, who wrote a paper entitled, “The Bay View Tragedy: Wisconsin’s Fight for the Eight-Hour Workday.” She won in the “Junior Individual Paper” category. Anna was a student at Richfield Middle School and her teacher was Michael Cirillo.
2021-22 School Year contest
Projects in the current school year will be based on the theme, “Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failure, Consequences.” Complete information on entering National History Day competitions is available on the Wisconsin Historical Society website, including the locations of the regional contests within the state and assistance in preparing projects.
This year, the American Labor Studies Center is offering a $1,000 cash prize for the best project on a labor history theme in the national competition in Washington DC. The prize is awarded to an outstanding entry in any category, in either division, that involves an aspect of American labor history, including the role that individuals and/or labor organizations have played in American economic, political, legislative, social or cultural history. The American Labor History award is accompanied by a $1,000 cash prize.
In addition, there are other organizations and corporations offering prizes. Check them out here.