EduHam Online names 2026 winners as program turns 10

By AI, Created 5:38 AM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – The Gilder Lehrman Institute and HAMILTON announced 20 nationwide winners for the 2026 Hamilton Education Program Online competition and lottery, marking the program’s 10th year. Winners will get an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City and tickets to HAMILTON.

Why it matters: - EduHam Online has spent 10 years using American history and the performing arts to reach middle and high school students nationwide. - The 2026 winners show the program’s continued expansion from its original Title I high school focus to classrooms and homes across the country. - Each winner gets an all-expenses-paid New York City trip and the chance to attend HAMILTON.

What happened: - The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and HAMILTON announced the 2026 Hamilton Education Program Online competition and lottery winners. - Twenty students were selected nationwide. - Ten students earned Outstanding Performance recognition. - Ten additional students were chosen through a national lottery. - The program is celebrating its 10th year.

The details: - EduHam Online is a free, curriculum-based program for middle and high school students. - Students study the Founding Era through primary sources, historical analysis and artistic interpretation. - Participants create original songs, rap, poetry and scenes inspired by key figures and events in American history. - Students can submit work to the national competition or enter a general lottery. - The 2026 Outstanding Performance winners came from schools in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia. - The 2026 lottery winners came from schools in California, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin. - Teachers and homeschooling families can find more information at Hamilton Education Program Online. - Launched in 2016, the Hamilton Education Program was designed for Title I-eligible high schools and later expanded nationwide for classroom and home use. - The program is a collaboration among the Gilder Lehrman Institute, HAMILTON creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, HAMILTON producer Jeffrey Seller and The Rockefeller Foundation. - The Gilder Lehrman Institute says its broader mission is improving the teaching and learning of American history through educational programs and resources.

Between the lines: - The winner list shows the program now reaches students well beyond its original target schools. - The arts-based format gives students a low-stakes way to reinterpret history while building public speaking, writing and performance skills. - The mix of competition and lottery widens access, not just selection by merit. - The program’s longevity suggests sustained demand for classroom material that connects history to creative expression.

What’s next: - The selected students will travel to New York City for their prize trip. - Winners will attend a performance of HAMILTON. - Educators and homeschooling families can continue to apply for future rounds through the program website.

The bottom line: - EduHam Online is pairing history education with performance arts, and the 2026 class shows the model still has national reach.