History\u2019s future was at the forefront of a national student competition that featured an East Stroudsburg\u00a0University faculty member as one of its head judges.<\/p>\n
Christopher Brooks, Ph.D., professor of history, served as a head judge during the regional National History Day (NHD) competition on April 25 at the University of Scranton. National History Day, a nonprofit group that aims to improve the teaching and learning of history, holds competitions for middle and high school students from across the country who submit research projects in the form of documentaries, papers, performances, exhibits and websites.<\/p>\n
Projects begin at the school level before moving on to statewide regional rounds, where judges determine which students move on to the competition\u2019s final rounds from June 14-18 at the University of Maryland.<\/p>\n
Dr. Brooks, who participated in the competition due to his role as a member of the National Council for the Social Studies, was head judge for a team that evaluated over 300 projects by students from throughout the state that were carefully researched and completed over several months.<\/p>\n
Being surrounded by so many young people with a passion for history was an encouraging sign for the future of the field, Dr. Brooks said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing involved and seeing the quality of work produced by students from across our great commonwealth brought joy to my heart and mind,\u201d Dr. Brooks said. \u201cBeing involved with NHD helps provide a nuanced approach to how we may, over time, adjust our curriculum for prospective students. Doing so allows them to prospectively better serve the communities in which they endeavor to eventually teach or work.\u201d<\/p>\n
The competition features a new theme each year. To coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, NHD\u2019s 2026 project theme was\u00a0\u201cRevolution, Reaction, Reform in History,\u201d providing a blend of past and present for students to explore.<\/p>\n
\u201cNational History Day is an event that fosters some of the missing curiosity of not only the craft of \u2018doing history,\u2019 but also the passion for our mutual past,\u201d Dr. Brooks said. \u201cAs social studies content supervisor and liaison to our secondary education department at East Stroudsburg University, events like NHD help to answer the crucial question of, \u2018how did we get here?\u2019 It further helps us, as a nation, to recognize our place in the world historically, which is pivotal in our collective quest to impact positive policy changes.\u201d<\/p>\n
In judging entries, Dr. Brooks tapped into his extensive education and experiences.<\/p>\n
Dr. Brooks earned a dual bachelor\u2019s degree in history and philosophy and master\u2019s degree in American history, both from ESU. He completed extensive academic work at Edinburgh University in Scotland and completed his doctoral work at the University of Kassel in Germany, focusing on legal and constitutional history, in 2006.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Dr. Brooks is coordinator of a joint program with Widener University allowing ESU students interested in combining their undergraduate education with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree to have a seamless transition to law school. He also serves as an at-large board member for the Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors, the largest organization of its kind in the United States.<\/p>\n
Dr. Brooks\u2019 current research projects include the history of early African American attorneys, free speech, and utility of a history degree in corporate professions.<\/p>\n