Nearly 3,000 students attended the National History Day Contest at the University of Maryland, College Park. This national competition is the final step in a series of contests at the local and state/affiliate levels. The top two entries in every category at the state/affiliate level are invited to the National Contest held June 10-14, 2018. This year's theme was Conflict & Compromise in History.

Twelve Plano ISD students qualified for the national competition. One team of students from Plano East Senior High - Suzie Chang, Ruth Franklin, Israa Mustafa, Alvin Ta and Shiva Teerdhala competing in the senior group exhibit category - were selected as a finalist for their project titled, A Diamond is Forever. Only 10 finalists were selected from more than 120 entries in each category from all 50 states, the U.S. territories and American schools in several foreign countries. 

National History Day Finalist from Plano East Senior High: Alvin Ta, Suzie Chang, Israa Mustafa, Ruth Franklin and Shiva Teerdhala.