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OUR STORY
Why We Built the Great History Challenge
As teachers, we spend much of our time helping students who are struggling—and that’s exactly as it should be. Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed.
But we also taught students who simply loved learning.
They were the students who asked one more question, made one more connection, or couldn’t wait to tell us about something they had discovered on their own. They weren’t motivated by grades. They were motivated by curiosity.
Too often, those students quietly slip through school without much recognition. Not because teachers don’t care, but because the realities of the classroom leave little time to challenge the students who are already thriving.
We created the Great History Challenge to change that.
More than a history competition, it’s a place where middle school students who love learning can be recognized, challenged, and celebrated.
OUR APPROACH
Could this step be completed during a class change?
If the answer was no, we went back to the drawing board.
WHAT WE LOVE TO HEAR
“That was easier than I thought it would be!”
To us, that’s one of the highest compliments we can receive.
OUR MEASURING STICK
Built by Teachers, for Teachers
Teachers don’t need another program. They need one that fits into the day they’re already trying to manage.
We knew that because we had been there ourselves. We remembered days when there barely seemed to be enough time to eat lunch or refill a cup of coffee before the next class. The last thing teachers needed was another opportunity for their students that came with hours of extra work.
So we built the Great History Challenge around a simple idea: great opportunities for students shouldn’t create more work for teachers.
That belief became our measuring stick. Throughout the design process, we kept coming back to one simple question:
OUR COMMUNITY
More Than a Competition
We hope every student leaves the Great History Challenge with more than a medal or a trophy.
We hope they leave knowing there are other middle school students just like them—students who love learning, ask big questions, and get excited about history.
For many students, that’s a powerful discovery.
The Great History Challenge is a competition. But more than that, it’s a community that celebrates intellectual curiosity and reminds students that it’s okay to be excited about learning.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Every student deserves a place where it’s okay (even cool!) to love learning.
