Nearly 500 Students Set to Bring History to Life at 2026 Riverside County National History Day
RIVERSIDE – To coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the National History Day theme for 2026 is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. A total of 471 students advanced from 12 local competitions representing public, charter, and private schools will showcase their projects at the 2026 Riverside County National History Day on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Canyon Springs High School (23100 Cougar Canyon Road, Moreno Valley, CA).
“Students of history are the leaders who shape the present and are poised to become the next world-changers,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “This year’s National History Day theme of ‘Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History’ is a perfect example of how the lessons from yesterday remain essential building blocks for better understanding today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.”
The 2026 theme competition features students in grades 4-5 who will participate in the poster and podcast categories, and junior (grades 6-8) and senior division (grades 9-12) students competing in the following individual and group categories:
- Documentary
- Performance
- Exhibit
- Website
- Podcast
The competition begins at 8 a.m., with public viewing for documentary, website, and podcasts available in the Gymnasium between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Public viewing of exhibits will be available between 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. The awards ceremony will wrap up the day at 4 p.m. in the Gymnasium. Full details on the National History Day competition are available at https://www.rcoe.us/student-events/history-day.
The top three finishers in each category in the junior and senior division, and the top four finishers in the poster competition for 4th and 5th grade students, will advance to the National History Day-California State Competition to be held May 1-3, 2026, at California State University, Sacramento. Winners at the state level advance to the National History Day Competition, June 14-18, 2026, at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Students from the following Riverside County school districts and private schools are set to participate:
- Banning USD
- Corona-Norco USD
- Moreno Valley USD
- Riverside USD
- Romoland SD
- Val Verde USD
- Idyllwild Arts Academy
- Mission Vista Academy
- Notre Dame High School
- St. Jeanne de Lestonnac School
- Springs Charter School
- Sycamore Academy
A selection of entries for 2026 includes:
Adopted, Not Bought: The Cabbage Patch Kids and the Revolution of Childhood Consumer Culture
Category: Group Performance – Junior Division
Students: Briana Arias, Olivia Villegas. Samantha De Paz Chinchilla, Yanderi Monroy
District: Moreno Valley Unified School District
School: Vista Heights Middle School
Project Description From Students: We were interested in how a doll could have such an emotional impact. It connects to this year’s theme because it revolutionized the way companies marketed products, caused a huge public reaction, and reformed how dolls were viewed.
Trying to do Things as Men Have Tried: Amelia Earhart and Advocacy for Women's Independence
Category: Group Documentary – Junior Division
Students: Cairha Cosio, Katelin Garcia
School: Lakeside Middle School
District: Val Verde Unified School District
Project Description From Students: The documentary examines how Amelia Earhart advocated for gender equality by exemplifying the distinctions between males and females in aviation. The documentary further analyzes compositions such as the pursuit of sovereignty, fashion, resistance to reform, and the implications of her legacy following her death.
Kristallnacht
Category: Group Exhibit – Junior Division
Students: Malik Sison, Melbourne Sison
School: Hillside Innovation Academy
District: Romoland School District
Project Description From Students: The project teaches people about the devastation caused by the Nazis on the night of November 9-10, also known as the Night of Broken Glass.
Toxic Truths: What We Are Taught To Ignore
Category: Group Performance – Senior Division
Students: Ephrem Roba, Brooke Briones
School: Martin Luther King High School
District: Riverside Unified School District
Project Description From Students: Penny Newman (from Riverside, now Jurupa Valley) was faced with many challenges as her kids (and many others) grew sick after playing in "bubbles." Later, Newman found out those "bubbles" were toxic chemicals the government had dumped. Newman did everything she could to advocate for better air quality and to make sure this action isn’t repeated.
The Cristero War: A Religious Uprising in Mexico
Category: Individual Website – Junior Division
Student: Erin Nafiu
School: Corona Fundamental Intermediate School
District: Corona-Norco Unified School District
Project Description From Student: This topic is about the religious rights of Mexicans and how they were restricted from practicing Catholicism. Because they suffered from not being able to worship their god, the Mexican people formed a group called the Cristeros to fight against the government. The website covers the struggles the Catholic people went through, the historical background, the consequences of breaking the law, the beginnings of the war, the main event, multiple perspectives, and the historical significance of this event.