Westwood High Student Represents Massachusetts at 2026 National History Day Competition

Westwood High School student Alexis Cao recently had the honor of representing Massachusetts as one of five students from the Commonwealth, who after succeeding in regional competitions and the Massachusetts History Day state contest, competed in the 2026 National History Day Competition that was held June 14-18 at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Each year, competitors like Cao produce a historical research project based on a given theme for the year. Projects are subject to judging at local and state levels before advancing to the national competition. Essential project elements include historical context, multiple perspective-taking, historical accuracy, and an argument for why the chosen topic is significant in history. Projects can be presented as papers, performance, documentaries, exhibits or websites.

The theme for this year's National History Day was "Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History." The theme for 2027 will be "Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change."

Cao was inspired to take on the subject after competing in Miss Massachusetts Teen last summer. She says she viewed the MHD project as a way to learn more about pageantry while creating her documentary.

Cao's documentary, Breaking the Mirror: The Racial Revolution and Reform of the American Crown, explored the history of racial injustice in the beauty pageant industry. She examined how efforts to challenge discriminatory standards helped drive broader social change and conversations about race, representation, and inclusion in American society.

“It was amazing to represent my town and I thought it was such an amazing experience,” said Cao. “It’s so important to remember the origins of America and to never [lose] fighting for diversity, fighting for democracy, and what we really built our nation on.”

Before competing on the national stage, Cao had the opportunity to present her documentary in a student showcase at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston on June 9.  

Massachusetts Historical Society, coordinator of the state competition that is affiliated with the national contest, notes on its website that more than 6,000 middle and high school students from the Commonwealth participate in Massachusetts History Day each year.

Thanks to Massachusetts Historical Society for sharing its news with Westwood Minute.

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