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2026 National
Championship
Columbus, OH
The fourth annual Great History Challenge took place on May 23–24 in Columbus, Ohio, bringing together 400 outstanding middle school students from across the country for two days of intense academic competition.
After beginning with more than 50,000 participants nationwide, these students earned their place at the national event through exceptional performances in earlier rounds. Competitors tested their knowledge across a wide variety of history topics in one of the most competitive Great History Challenge events to date.
In the 6th grade division, James Rooney of Carmel, Indiana, captured the championship title with an outstanding performance. Nino Zampogna of Naples, Florida, and Luke Weisbenner of Champaign, Illinois, earned runner-up honors after strong showings throughout the competition.
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The 8th grade division featured another impressive group of finalists, with Eric Lewis of Essex, Maryland, earning the championship title. Jaiden Angelo Nassr of Bowie, Maryland, and Daniel Chen of Champaign, Illinois, were runners-up after excellent performances over the two-day event.
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In the 7th grade division, Jing-Kai Fu of Potomac, Maryland, claimed both the 7th grade championship and the title of Grand Champion. Maxwell Liu of Champaign, Illinois, and David Payne of Chicago, Illinois, finished as runners-up in a highly competitive field.
We congratulate all of the students who participated in this year’s Great History Challenge and thank the families, teachers, volunteers, and supporters who helped make the event possible. Watching students from across the country come together to celebrate their passion for history made for an exciting and memorable weekend, and we look forward to continuing the tradition next year!
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