Minnesota Students Take Top Honors at National History Day Competition

WASHINGTON, DC (June 18, 2026) – As the National History Day competition wraps up today, Minnesota’s 61 competitors took home an array of awards, including 3 medals, 8 finalists, and 5 honorable mentions.

Minnesota’s delegation included students from around the state, who competed against nearly 3,000 students from across the country. The competition was held at the University of Maryland, College Park campus, just outside of Washington, DC.

The students, representing grades six through twelve, presented exhibits, papers, documentaries, performances and websites that showed off months of research based on this year’s theme, “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.”

The top three national finishers in each category earn monetary awards. First place winners receive $1,000, second place winners receive $500, and third place winners receive $250. National History Day also recognizes one outstanding affiliate entry in each division, junior and senior, with a medal.

Medal winners are:

• Helen C. and Sara R., Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis. First Place. Senior Individual Documentary, “Fusing Religion and Politics: How the Iranian Revolution Led to Radical Reforms”
• Malai W., Justice Page Middle School, Minneapolis. Second Place. Junior Individual Exhibit, “Vanguards of a Revolution: Freedom House and the First Mobile Emergency Room”
• Shaunya K., Shakopee High School, Shakopee. Third Place. Senior Individual Documentary, “From Baby Snatching to Justice: The Revolution for Family Sovereignty, State Reaction, and the Indian Child Welfare Act’s Reform”

Other top finishers from Minnesota:

• Ruby P., Oak Grove Middle School, Bloomington. Fifth Place, Junior Paper, “Heroes on Wheels: The Impact and Legacy of the Freedom House Ambulance Service”
• Emmett L., Peter L., Robin C., Murray Middle School, St. Paul. Fifth Place, Junior Group Documentary, “Reforming Occupational Lead Safety: Alice Hamilton’s Revolutionary Research”
• Marley H., Charley R., Lily S., Dessa S., Mariner Middle School, White Bear Lake. Fifth Place, Junior Group Exhibit, “The Love Canal”
• Zev B., Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet School, St. Paul. Sixth Place, Junior Individual Website, “The Silencing of Prague Spring”
• Millie K. and Zella S., Sanford Middle School, Minneapolis. Sixth Place, Junior Group Website, “The Cutter Incident: Provoking Revolutionary Reactions in America”
• Amelia D. and Olivia O., Sanford Middle School, Minneapolis. Eighth Place, Junior Group Documentary, “Sesame Street: Reforming Children’s Television and Revolutionizing Education”
• Dorothy K., Elsie J., Henry W., Buffalo Community Middle School, Buffalo. Eighth Place, Junior Group Performance, “Columbine: How the Reactions to a Tragedy Reformed School Safety”
• Amber H., North Lakes Academy, Forest Lake. Eighth Place, Senior Individual Performance, “Manufactured Breath: How the Iron Lung Led to Revolutionary Medical Reform”

Other award winners from Minnesota:

• Ruby P., Oak Grove Middle School, Bloomington. Outstanding Affiliate Entry in the Junior Division, Junior Paper, “Heroes on Wheels: The Impact and Legacy of the Freedom House Ambulance Service”
• Amber H., North Lakes Academy, Forest Lake. Outstanding Affiliate Entry in the Senior Division, Senior Individual Performance, “Manufactured Breath: How the Iron Lung Led to Revolutionary Medical Reform”
• Alice M., Open World Learning Community, St. Paul. Junior Individual Exhibit, “Reformation through Community Mental Health”
• Cullen P., Sanford Middle School, Minneapolis. Junior Individual Website, “‘Bread Not Guns:’ Revolutionizing Diplomacy with Food”
• Abby H., Beatrice C., Charley C., Open World Learning Community, St. Paul. Senior Group Performance, “‘Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman:’ The Ladies’ Home Journal Sit-In, Revolution, Reaction, and the Reform of Portrayals in Women’s Media”
• Kendall M., DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis. Senior Individual Exhibit, “Revolutionizing Care: The Birth of the General Hospital”
• Amalia K. and Ella B., DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis. Senior Group Website, “Florence Nightingale: The Pioneer of Modern Nursing”

Honorable Mention Awards are presented to entries that ranked in the second place in the first-round of judging. While these entries were not eligible for the final-round of competition, their outstanding scholarship is recognized as Honorable Mention:

Throughout the week of the contest, several Minnesota students were recognized in project showcases from sponsoring institutions:

• Marley H., Charley R., Lily S., Dessa S., Mariner Middle School, White Bear Lake. Junior Group Exhibit, “The Love Canal,” showcased at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
• Tinsae O., East High School, Duluth. Senior Paper, “The Voting Rights Act of 1965: How a Landmark Legislative Victory Reformed Voting Practices in the U.S.,” was selected by the White House Historical Association to showcase their paper on their website and participate in a writers’ workshop and tour of The People’s House: A White House Experience

In addition to the students, two teachers were recognized as finalists for National History Teacher of the Years:

• Zoe Kourajian, Edgewood Middle School, Mounds View, Junior Division.
• Courtney Major, Edina High School, Edina, Senior Division

Please contact Allison Ortiz at allison.ortiz@mnhs.org for more information. Full names of students may be released upon request.

About National History Day in Minnesota
National History Day in Minnesota is a co-curricular historical research program that builds college readiness and communication skills for middle and high school students. The program is sponsored by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Program support is also provided by the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008.

The Minnesota Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history. Visit us at mnhs.org.

About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.