DAR Chapters are encouraged to conduct the American History Essay Contest in public, private, and parochial schools, and registered home-study programs. Students in grades five through eight are encouraged to participate. Each year a selected topic for use during the academic year is announced and contest instructions are sent to the schools by participating chapters. Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness.

Participating chapters send one winning essay from each of the four grades for judging on the state level. The state will send one winning essay from each of the four grades to be judged on a regional level. The winning essay from each of the four grades will then be judged on the national level and the winners are announced.

Each student participant should receive a certificate of participation by the chapter and the chapter winners should receive bronze medals and certificates. State winners should receive certificates and silver medals. National winners should receive special certificates, medals, and a monetary award.

DAR joined with The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in 1966 to sponsor an annual national essay contest. The DAR administers this contest, which is open to students in grades nine through twelve. Each year the DAR and the NIAF agree upon a topic for use during the academic year and contest instructions are sent to the schools by participating DAR chapters. Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness. Judging at the national level is supervised by the NIAF.

One winning essay from all those submitted is sent from the participating chapters, for judging on the state level. The state will send one winning essay to be judged on the division level. The winning essay from each division is then judged on the national level and the winner is announced. Second and third place winning essays are selected on the national level.

Each student participant should receive a certificate of participation by the chapter. The national prize is awarded by the NIAF.