National History Day® (NHD), in partnership with Carpenters’ Hall, is thrilled to announce an exciting program for the summer of 2025. The Young People’s Continental Congress (YPCC) will provide an opportunity for student-teacher teams* to study history and civics in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 13–19, 2025. Participants will interact with students and teachers from across the country, explore our nation’s founding, and learn how the ideals of the founding era continue to be debated, discussed, and refined over the last 250 years.
*A student-teacher team consists of one student and one teacher.
In July 2024, we ran a pilot of this program with student-teacher teams from the original 13 colonies. Learn more about their experiences here:
Who can apply:
- To be eligible, students must be enrolled in the tenth or eleventh grade in the 2024/2025 academic year.
- Teachers can teach grades 4-12 from any subject area. School librarians are eligible for this program. Teachers may come from any type of school (public, parochial, charter, private, or homeschool).
The program covers the travel costs for participants (flights, hotels, and meals). Participants are responsible for covering the costs of getting to their home airport or train station, parking, luggage, and incidental expenses.
The selected teams will engage in an online learning program from January to June 2025 to learn about the revolutionary era and engage in dialogue and civic discourse. Teams also agree to share their learning in two community presentations and participate in the NHD National Contest in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Teams need to be available for travel from July 13–19, 2025. West Coast or Pacific teams may need to depart for travel on July 12.
In Philadelphia, potential site visits may include historic sites (Carpenters’ Hall and the Independence National Historical Park), museums (the Museum of the American Revolution and the National Constitution Center), and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, among others. Schedules will be distributed to participants in spring 2025.
There are several components to the application:
- Interested teachers and students need to complete the application form by 11:59 a.m. ET on Friday, November 1, 2024. Within the form, teachers will be asked to upload one PDF file containing the following:
- Teacher resume (two pages maximum);
- Teacher statement of interest in the history of the founding era and civic discourse, including a statement of impact on the teacher’s professional development (one page, double-spaced);
- Teacher statement explaining why they selected this student (one page, double-spaced); and
- Student statement of interest in the history of the founding era and civic discourse, including a statement of impact on the student’s academic goals (one page, double-spaced).
- Please combine all documents into one PDF file to upload in the application document.
- Teachers are requested to ask ONE peer or supervisor to complete a brief reference. Please share this link with the person completing the reference.
- A parent or guardian must complete the parent/guardian permission form to allow the student to be considered for this opportunity.
Applications will be accepted until 11:59 a.m. ET on Friday, November 1, 2024.
All applicants will be notified of their application status on or before Monday, December 9, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can a teacher apply with more than one student?
No. If a teacher wants to consider multiple students, they should conduct a selection process at the school level. NHD can only accept one application per teacher.
Are middle school teachers eligible to apply?
Yes, but they need to apply with a student who is currently in tenth or eleventh grade.
Can a teacher apply with a student who is a freshman or a senior?
No. Students must currently be in tenth or eleventh grade to apply.
Can family members accompany the teams?
Our program cannot accommodate additional family members at the live program. Family members are welcome to join their students before or after the program if they choose.
Do the teacher and student travel to/from Philadelphia together?
Yes. The teacher and student will fly or take the train together unless a parent or guardian accompanies the student.
Are homeschooled students eligible to apply?
Yes. If there is no logical person to complete the reference for the teacher, that will be waived (at no penalty). Please contact programs@nhd.org, and that note will be added to your file.
Will the applications be acknowledged?
Yes. Our program will send a copy of the application to your email, and one of our staff members will confirm receipt once we confirm all components are included.
Will all applicants be notified?
Yes. NHD will notify the teacher applicants on or before Monday, December 9, 2024, via email or phone. NHD will contact the teacher applicants, who will then notify their student application partner.
Are participants required to be vaccinated against COVID-19?
Yes. Participants will be required to provide proof of vaccination or a doctors note for a medical exemption. Details will be sent to selected participants in December.
What do I do if I have a question not answered here?
Email your question to programs@nhd.org.
This program is generously supported by:
