National History Day (NHD) is excited to announce two opportunities for teachers to engage with our Silent Heroes professional development program in the 2025/2026 academic year. Please read this page to the end to clarify all details.
The first opportunity is Researching Silent Heroes, a teacher opportunity to create a profile for a Silent Hero from World War I, World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War.
The second opportunity is Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II, a teacher/student opportunity to research and profile the experiences of two U.S. Marine Corps Veterans who served in World War II.
Opportunity #1 – Researching Silent Heroes
Apply to learn how to research and create a profile for a Silent Hero, an individual who served the United States. These men and women died during wartime and are buried or memorialized in an American military cemetery cared for by the American Battle Monuments Commission. Sixty teachers will be selected for this program, broken into four cohorts (studying World War I, World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War). Participants will create profiles for these individuals that will be published on NHD’s Silent Heroes website. This program features four live webinar programs and support to research and create a profile for publication.
Open to: Teachers or librarians in grades 4-12. 60 spots are available.
Dates: September 12, 2025-March 20, 2026 (access a draft copy of the academic schedule here).
Credit: Teachers may earn 90 professional development hours OR three graduate extension credits at no cost.
Opportunity #2 – Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II
In fall 2025, each student-teacher team will work collaboratively to identify two Veterans and research their lives, military service, and contributions to their communities. In spring 2026, teams will visit their local national cemetery to honor their Veterans and read eulogies at their graves. Participants will create profiles that will be cross-listed on NHD’s Silent Heroes website and the Veterans Legacy Memorial. The NHD team will create video eulogies to add to these profiles. See a sample NHD-produced eulogy. To be eligible for this opportunity, the school must be located within 90 miles of a U.S. National Cemetery or State Veterans Cemetery that is currently open to burials.
Open to: Teachers or librarians in grades 6-12. 50 spots are available.
Dates: August 28, 2025 to April 27, 2026 (access a copy of the academic schedule here).
Credit: Teachers may earn 90 professional development hours OR three graduate extension credits (cost deducted from the stipend).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply?
Researching Silent Heroes – Teachers or librarians in grades 4-12.
Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II – Teachers or librarians who work with students in grades 6-12. Home school educators are eligible to apply, provided they can work with at least two students in grades 6-12. To be eligible, the applicant’s school must be located within 90 miles of a U.S. National Cemetery or state Veterans Cemetery that is currently open to burials.
What if my school is not located within 90 miles of a National Cemetery?
Researching Silent Heroes – This is not a requirement for the program.
Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II – If you are interested in learning more about Silent Heroes, apply for the Researching Silent Heroes program instead.
How many teachers will be selected?
Researching Silent Heroes – 60 teachers will be selected.
Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II – NHD has funding to support 50 teachers. We seek to identify teachers across a broad geographic area, connecting to as many cemeteries as possible.
Is there a teacher stipend?
Researching Silent Heroes – There is no stipend for this program. Teachers can receive graduate extension credits or professional development hours at no cost.
Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II – Yes. Selected teachers will receive a $1,000 stipend for their work on the project and a $400 budget to cover transportation and associated expenses to take students to visit their local cemetery.
Can teachers earn professional development hours or graduate credit?
Researching Silent Heroes – Yes. Teachers may earn 90 professional development hours from National History Day OR three graduate extension credits at no cost.
Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II – Yes. Teachers can earn 90 professional development hours from National History Day. Teachers may opt to receive three graduate extension credits from the University of San Diego at a modest cost (to be deducted from their stipend if they choose that option).
What are the expectations of participants?
Researching Silent Heroes – This program features four live webinars with military historian Dr. Christopher Hamner (a video option is available for those who cannot attend live) and four graphic organizers to help you organize your research into the main sections of the profile (early life, home front, military experience, and commemoration).
Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II – Participating student-teacher teams complete four graphic organizers to help organize the research into the main sections of the profile (early life, home front, military experience, and Veteran experience). There will be four live webinars with military historian Dr. Christopher Hamner (a video option is available for those who cannot attend live). Student-teacher teams will prepare a eulogy to deliver at the grave of their Veteran when they visit in spring 2026. Teachers will manage their student teams and maintain contact with project staff throughout the year.
What does a Silent Hero profile look like?
Here are some profiles from last year’s Researching Silent Heroes program: Corporal John Edward Newman (WWI), First Lieutenant Henry Edwin Salmons (WWII), Sergeant Worth Lamar Bunting (Korean War), Captain Phillip Allen Ducat (Vietnam).
Here are some profiles from last year’s Untold Stories program who served in the Korean War: Airman Second Class Shirley Elizabeth McIntyre, Specialist Fourth Class Reginald Sueo Arakaki, Technical Sergeant Roosevelt Claiborne Peterson, Airman First Class Barton Gressmen, and Sergeant Dolores Helen Katashuk Ames.
Does my school need to approve my participation?
Researching Silent Heroes – We will ask you to have a supervisor sign off on your participation so they are aware, but no special permission is required.
Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II – Yes. Selected teachers will receive a contract that will need to be signed by a school official to allow student participation in the program and the cemetery visit.
Can I apply if I participated in either of these programs in 2024/2025, or another Silent Heroes program in the past?
Yes. We will give preference to new applicants, but teachers are welcome to re-apply to the same program or a different one.
If you have questions about either program, email programs@nhd.org
