Maryland History Day Winners

Each year Maryland students advance to the Maryland History Day state competition.

See which teachers were honored, who walked away with special prizes, and which projects were selected to advance to the 2024 National History Day® competition in College Park, MD.

Maryland History Day 2024 National History Day National Qualifiers (written in order of first and second place)

  • Junior Papers
    “The Algorithmic Inflexion Point: Mathematical Visionaries of the Islamic Golden Age”
    Student: Alina Sitwat
    School: The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Matthew Hetrick

    “Turning Point in History: How the National Security Act of 1947 Reshaped the Military and Provided the Blueprints for a New Era of Warfare”
    Student: Liam Sullivan
    School: Lindale Middle School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Caitlin Nelson

  • Junior Individual Exhibits
    “Beyond the Bowl: Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Impact on Society”
    Student: Hemant Kantheti
    School: Bonnie Branch Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Kara Nanni and Steven Boone

    “From Death to Life: How the Development of Three-Drug Combination Therapy Changed HIV from a Death Sentence to a Manageable Living Condition”
    Student: Miranda Sheriff
    School: The Tome School, Cecil County
    Teacher: Raymond Costello

  • Junior Group Exhibits
    “Freedom, Fashion, Feminism: How the Bicycle Fueled the Women’s Rights Movement”
    Students: Ariana Alvarez Larios and Lucy Howard
    School: Lockerman Middle School, Caroline County
    Teacher: Linda Echternach

    “Smallpox Inoculation: The 1721 Boston Outbreak”
    Students: Claire Rhee, Eunice Ji, Raya Patel, and Shreya Desai
    School: Thomas Viaduct Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Laura Attridge

  • Junior Individual Documentaries
    “Skill Over Skin: How the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 Was a Turning Point in American History”
    Student: Satvik Jain
    School: Burleigh Manor Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Elizabeth A. Berkeley, Kevin Donoughe, and Robyn Page

    “Indomitable: The MRI as a Turning Point in History”
    Student: Roman Jackson
    School: Frederick Homeschoolers, Frederick County
    Teacher: Christine Pritt

  • Junior Group Documentaries
    “The Polio Vaccines: Saving Lives Since 1955”
    Students: Eva Muehlbauer and Jeannie Cho
    School: Lime Kiln Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: John Lippert and Tracy Spillman

    “Metallica v. Napster: A Turning Point in Music History”
    Students: Abigail Smith and Jack Gross
    School: The Mount Washington School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Sarah Martin

  • Junior Individual Performances
    “High Winds and Sun”
    Student: Abby Keehn
    School: North Bethesda Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Rachel Lunsford

    “The Manufacturing Of Penicillin: 20th Century Turning Point”
    Student: Srikar Midde
    School: Patapsco Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Matt Dymek

  • Junior Group Performances
    “The Segregation of the Women’s Suffrage Movement”
    Students: Avani Durvasula and Farah Hawks
    School: Eastern Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Abigail Petit

    “Painted in Poison: Radium Girls and the Deadly Glow of Time”
    Students: Christy Pierce, Emily Knutson, and Saanvi Venumbaka
    School: Patuxent Valley Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Heather Siepel and Monica Chelidona

  • Junior Individual Websites
    “How Bobbi Gibb and Kathrine Switzer Smashed the Stereotype of Women Through Running”
    Student: Andrew Civillico
    School: John T. Baker Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Jeffrey Kenst

    “”The Sound of Young America”: Motown’s Impact on Music and Society”
    Student: Amelia Wilburn
    School: Northern Middle School, Garrett County
    Teacher: Amanda Wilburn

  • Junior Group Websites
    “WARdrobe: A Turning Point in Women’s History”
    Students: Ava Pollard, Divya Pavuluri, and Riddhi Mittal
    School: Folly Quarter Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Bill Ceglia

    “HeLa Cells: The First Immortal Cell Line”
    Students: Elaine Zhang, Margaret Liu, Serena Huang, and Sophia Chao
    School: Cabin John Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: David Barnhouse and David McCutcheon

  • Senior Papers
    “Deinstitutionalization: Unintended Consequences”
    Student: Conlan Heiser-Cerrato
    School: Loyola Blakefield, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Samuel Manelski

    “Mosquitos, Medicine and Major Milestones: William Gorgas’s Legacy on the Panama Canal”
    Student: Aashi Moola
    School: Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Prince George’s County
    Teacher: Victoria Patch Williams

  • Senior Individual Exhibits
    “Ryan White: The Shift from an Isolated HIV/AIDS Epidemic to a Public Health Effort”
    Student: Chris Langston
    School: The Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: William McGowan

    “The Birthing of the First Socialist State”
    Student: Joshua Herrera-Guzman
    School: Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Prince George’s County
    Teacher: Victoria Patch Williams

  • Senior Group Exhibits
    “Attacking Architectural Inaccessibility: The Americans with Disabilities Act”
    Students: Asher Lyons and Grace Guo
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

    “Design Fun-Dations: The Rebranding Revolution that Revitalized Minor League Baseball”
    Students: Jack McGuinn and Quinn Roberts
    School: Mount St. Joseph High School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Ryan Folmer

  • Senior Individual Documentaries
    “Burning Down Barriers: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire”
    Student: Kiya Tibebe
    School: Reservoir High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Jennifer Coker

    “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death – How Liberty Ships Saved the Free World”
    Student: Maximilian Bader
    School: Loyola Blakefield, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Samuel Manelski

  • Senior Group Documentaries
    “The Turning Point in Indian Nuclear History: Pokhran ’98”
    Students: Neal Shandilya and Vihaan Jain
    School: Howard High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Danelle Brennan

    “Light Will Break Forth: The Explosion That Turned Deadly Chemicals Into Weapons Against Cancer”
    Students: Rebekah Mueller and Timothy Mueller
    School: Old Mill High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Katharine Barry

  • Senior Individual Performances
    “The Discovery of the Rh Factor: A Revolutionary Turning Point in History”
    Student: Risha Manthini
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

    “A Political Turning Point in Women’s Rights – The Successes and Failures of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania V. Casey”
    Student: Aanya Contractor
    School: Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Christina Costabile and Lynn Rashid

  • Senior Group Performances

    “The Minute They Catch on Fire”
    Students: Ava Miller and Margot Patton
    School: The Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Leigh Hadaway

    “Jacob Riis: Reweaving the Social Fabric of Cities in America”
    Students: Annabelle Wu, Surie Zhang, and Tirzah Chan
    School: River Hill High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Callie Casper

  • Senior Individual Websites
    “The Alcatraz Occupation: A Turning Point in the Red Power Movement”
    Student: Sahasra Batta
    School: Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Christina Costabile

    “Classical Minimalism: A Genre That Changed Music History”
    Student: Avery Chupka
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • Senior Group Websites
    “Miracle at Midway”
    Students: Aidan Herbst, Connor Floyd, Joshua Anderson, and Kameron Madison
    School: Mount St. Joseph High School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Ryan Folmer

    “Behind Closed Doors: The Watergate Scandal and Aftermath”
    Students: Kai Cooke and Ryan Wachter
    School: Loyola Blakefield, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Samuel Manelski

Maryland History Day Teachers Awards

  • Maryland History Day Statewide Middle School Teacher of the Year
    Erin Spahr
    Urbana Middle School
    Frederick County
  • Maryland History Day Statewide High School Teacher of the Year
    Stephanie Gomer
    Poolesville High School
    Montgomery County
  • Anne Arundel County
    Tracee Simms
    Glen Burnie High School
  • Baltimore City
    Ryan Kaiser
    The Mount Washington School
  • Baltimore County
    Mam Marie Kah
    Al Rahmah School
  • Calvert County
    Crystal Hill
    Southern Middle School
  • Caroline County
    Linda Echternach
    Lockerman Middle School
  • Carroll County
    Kate Flint
    West Middle School & Shiloh Middle School
  • Cecil County
    Ray Costello
    The Tome School
  • Charles County
    Sydney Houdeshell
    Theodore Davis Middle School
  • Garrett County
    Michele Bingham
    Southern Garrett Middle School
  • Howard County
    Patricia Holy-Ilenda
    Elkridge Landing Middle School
  • Prince George’s County
    Carol Carter
    Kenmoor Middle School
  • Queen Anne’s County
    Todd Boyer
    Centreville Middle School
  • St. Mary’s County
    Leif Liberg
    St. Mary’s Ryken
  • Talbot County
    Katherine Douglas
    St. Michaels Middle High School

2024 Special Prize Winners

  • Marilyn Hatza Award for Excellence in African American History, Sponsored by the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture
    “Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: Spin on Hip-Hop”
    Category: Junior Group Exhibit
    Student: Aminata Raschid and Aria Durant
    School: Benjamin Tasker Middle School, Prince George’s County
    Teacher: Davlyn Hollie

    ““Keep them out”: How America Took the Charm Out of Its Greatest City”
    Category: Senior Group Performance
    Student: Daniel Longe, Isaac Koffi-Moyet, and Zion Zackery
    School: Loyola Blakefield, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Samuel Manelski

  • Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Award for Excellence in Government History
    “Revamping The Biased And Discriminatory Ways Of The Law: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Impact And Influence On The Law And World As We Know Today”
    Category: Junior Individual Documentary
    Student: Rowan Wind
    School: Northern Middle School, Garrett County
    Teacher: Amanda Wilburn

    “Executive Order 9066: A Turning Point in the Lives of Japanese Americans”
    Category: Senior Individual Documentary
    Student: Zetong Bian
    School: Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Sara Romeyn

  • Award for Excellence in Asian History, Sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County History Department
    “Chinese Advanced Maritime Technology: Boarding the Fleet of Admiral Zheng He in the Indian Ocean Basin”
    Category: Senior Individual Website
    Student: Rosalie Chadeayne
    School: Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Maureen O’Neill
  • Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement and Action, Sponsored by the Maryland Council for the Social Studies
    “The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: A Small Fire That Changed Everything”
    Category: Junior Group Performance
    Student: Briar Nutley, Madelyn Hirschbock, Russell Laing, and Sydney Hill
    School: Centreville Middle School, Queen Anne’s County
    Teacher: Todd Boyer

    “Power to the People: The Black Panther Party”
    Category: Senior Individual Documentary
    Student: Charan Bala
    School: River Hill High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Jessica Nichols

  • The Barry A. Lanman Award for Excellence in Oral History, Sponsored by Barry A. Lanman
    “Perspectives: Views on the Use of the Atomic Bomb”
    Category: Junior Individual Performance
    Student: Anoushka Pandey
    School: The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Matthew Hetrick
  • Award for Excellence in Labor History, Sponsored by Bill Barry and Friends
    “The Great Depression”
    Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
    Student: Lillian Plog
    School: St Michaels Middle/High School, Talbot County
    Teacher: Katie Southworth

    “The Haymarket Bomb”
    Category: Senior Individual Performance
    Student: Michael Fayer
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • Eugene J. Becker Award for Excellence in Cybersecurity and Cryptology, Sponsored by National Cryptologic Foundation
    “The 1956 Dartmouth Conference: A Pivotal Turning Point in the History of Artificial Intelligence”
    Category: Junior Paper
    Student: Marcellus White
    School: Piccowaxen Middle School, Charles County
    Teacher: Christine Coulby

    “The Rosetta Stone’s Impact”
    Category: Senior Paper
    Student: Lillian Gwynn
    School: Saint Mary’s Ryken High School, St. Mary’s County
    Teacher: Leif Liberg

  • The George Washington Leadership Prize, Sponsored by George Washington’s Mount Vernon
    “The Power of Ideas: Ronald Reagan’s Influence on the Fall of the Berlin Wall”
    Category: Junior Paper
    Student: Eli Kim
    School: Urbana Middle, Frederick County
    Teacher: Erin Spahr

    “The Formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance”
    Category: Senior Group Documentary
    Student: Angelo Catimbang, Caleb Dotson, and Elijah James Centeno
    School: Oxon Hill High School, Prince George’s County
    Teacher: Nathaniel Wallace

  • The Major General John E. Morrison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and Innovation, Sponsored by the National Cryptologic Foundation
    “Floating for Forecasting: The Impact of Weather Balloons”
    Category: Junior Group Exhibit
    Student: Annabelle Liang, Claire Sun, and Eileen Wu
    School: Clarksville Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Margaret Brothman

    “Uncovering the Invisible: How Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Discovered the World of Microbiology”
    Category: Senior Group Performance
    Student: Jordan Fain, Nora Devine, and Samantha Lavallee
    School: Severna Park High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Sarah Poole

  • Award for Excellence in Maryland History, Sponsored by the Maryland Center for History and Culture
    “The Battle of Monocacy: A Turning Point in History”
    Category: Junior Paper
    Student: Cash Ritchie
    School: Walkersville Middle, Frederick County
    Teacher: Heather Burke

    “Tobacco Buyout: A New Leaf in Southern Maryland”
    Category: Senior Group Documentary
    Student: Brett Sheranko, Dylan Carter, and Isaac Lehman
    School: Patuxent High School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Jacqueline Hall

  • Michael E. Patten Memorial History Award for Best Use of Primary Sources, Sponsored by the Frank Patten Family
    “The Alcatraz Occupation: A Turning Point in the Red Power Movement”
    Category: Senior Individual Website
    Student: Sahasra Batta
    School: Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Christina Costabile
  • Award for Excellence in History of Science and Technology, Sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County History Department
    “A Blessing and a Curse: How Thalidomide Marked a Turning Point in Drug Regulation and the World”
    Category: Senior Paper
    Student: Leslie Monter
    School: North Caroline High School, Caroline County
    Teacher: Andrew Buffenmyer
  • Special Prize for Excellence in Women's History, Sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County History Department
    “Alice Ball”
    Category: Junior Group Exhibit
    Student: Kenley Ravenna and Lola DePalma
    School: Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Spencer Hickok
  • Special Prize for Excellence in Women's History, Sponsored by the Maryland Women's Heritage Center
    “Sandra Day O’Connor: She’s The First “
    Category: Senior Group Exhibit
    Student: Ethan Chen and Olivia Ding
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer
  • Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation, Sponsored by the Maryland Historical Trust
    “D-Day in Dowell”
    Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
    Student: Dean Western
    School: Calvert Middle School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Julei Darrach

    “Turning Points in World War II: the Production of the Liberty Ship Led to the Expansion of the Female Work Force and the Distribution of Supplies to Allies”
    Category: Senior Individual Exhibit
    Student: Sophia Borkowski-Johnson
    School: C. Milton Wright High School, Harford County
    Teacher: Dru Herbert

  • Award for Excellence in Legal and Constitutional History, Sponsored by Cynthia Raposo and Joseph Furey
    “Opening the Gates to Equity: Lau v Nichols and the Rights of Multilingual Learners “
    Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
    Student: Ishani Kanja-Sen
    School: Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Aalisa Blackwood

    “Turning the Tide Against Eugenics: The Story of The Relf Sisters”
    Category: Senior Group Documentary
    Student: Brendan Conrad, Daniel Cao, Ethan Lui, Raymond Zhu, and Thomas Wu
    School: Winston Churchill High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Christopher Forney

  • Award for Excellence in LGBTQ+ History, Sponsored by Aaron Heinsman
    “The Stonewall Riots: A Moment of Change for The Homosexual Community”
    Category: Junior Individual Website
    Student: William Quinn
    School: Shiloh Middle School, Carroll County
    Teacher: Kate Flint

    “Ryan White: The Shift from an Isolated HIV/AIDS Epidemic to a Public Health Effort”
    Category: Senior Individual Exhibit
    Student: Chris Langston
    School: The Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: William McGowan

  • Excellence in White House History, Sponsored by the White House Historical Association
    “”Silent Sentinels”: ​​​​​​​The Turning Point for Women’s Suffrage”
    Category: Junior Individual Website
    Student: Madisyn Felix
    School: St. Mary’s Bryantown, Charles County
    Teacher: Christopher Hayes

    “Behind Closed Doors: The Watergate Scandal and Aftermath”
    Category: Senior Group Website
    Student: Kai Cooke and Ryan Wachter
    School: Loyola Blakefield, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Samuel Manelski

  • The Award for Excellence in United States Military History, Sponsored by the Maryland Military Monuments Commission
    “Operation Desert Storm: How 100 Hours Unfolded Into the Start of a 20 Year War”
    Category: Junior Individual Documentary
    Student: Liam Carsia
    School: Milton M. Somers Middle School, Charles County
    Teacher: April Thompson

    “From Peril to Patriotism: Unveiling the Significance of the Battle of Baltimore”
    Category: Senior Group Website
    Student: Joey Yared and Liam Stappert
    School: Loyola Blakefield, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Samuel Manelski

  • “The excitement of the research was wonderful for my students’ academic progress. They now feel capable of doing any research paper that may be assigned in college!”

    Maryland History Day 2019 Teacher

  • “The researching and communicating skills have made me a more confident person in all academic endeavors. These are skills that will last me a lifetime.”

    ​Maryland History Day student participant

  • “The thing that had the most impact were the skills that I got from this project. I developed better hunting skills in terms of looking for reliable sources and I also learned to work hard and not procrastinate to achieve something great.”

    Maryland History Day student participant

  • “My students went deeper with primary and secondary sources than ever before. They used critical thinking skills and applied the transfer goals and essential questions on a deeper level than they could have in class. It challenged them to think deeper and defend their findings.”

    Maryland History Day 2019 Teacher

  • “History Day inspired me to become deeply invested in historical topics which I never thought I’d enjoy. It is an amazing experience that has the ability to make learning fun for everyone, no matter what you’re interested in.”

    Addie Skillman, National History Day Gold Winner

  • “The students are now far more prepared for the high level of scholarship and achievement that will be expected of them in future years. MHD also elevated many other skills too. These include public speaking, the use of technology, learning to collaborate.”

    ​Maryland History Day teacher

  • “I think the continual process of improving her research and presentation through the various levels of competition has been incredibly valuable. It has caused her to dig deeper in her research and build upon and refine her work and presentation.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “[My son] became a real expert in his topic and, he says, developed a life-long love of history, especially the history of music. I cannot thank you enough for this rare and incredible opportunity.”

    Andrea LeWinter, parent of Maryland History Day participant

  • “[The students] learned a variety of ways to present their material and they could focus on what they wanted to learn about. The students had a choice in their learning. It was about their learning NOT what someone else felt they need to learn.”

    ​Maryland History Day teacher

  • “History Day has taught men how to interpret and effective use primary sources in my writing to create and support claims. Now I am much more likely to explore databases, go to libraries, and explore further external sources for credible and effective sources.”

    Maryland History Day 2019 Student

  • “MHD illustrated the applicability of the study of history to contemporary issues and current events. It was very motivating to converse with the students about their historical topic and observe how they applied it to current events and their own life circumstances.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “My students became more competent researchers, and took ownership of their work. They had total free reign to choose their topic, direct their research, and create their final project.”

    ​Maryland History Day 2015 Teacher

  • I’ve loved judging! It’s exciting to see the passion the middle schoolers have put in their projects. I hope that my critiques have helped strive for excellence throughout their lives.

    Dee Krasnansky, Maryland History Day Judge

  • “By using a variety of sources, I was able to get angles on my topic that I wasn’t able to before. Also, I learned so much about a topic near and dear to my heart that will enrich my learning later in life.”

    Maryland History Day 2015 Student

  • “The part of History Day that had the most impact on me was seeing all the other entries and entry categories. It was really inspiring to see so many different people of history honored for their leadership and legacy as that was this years theme. You forget that the whole world has a history and there are so many different people and leaders who make up that history. The fact that this day brings together all of us students, our imaginations, our creativity, research skills, and history really reminds you how much of us would be lost if we didn’t remember those who made an impact.”

    ​Maryland History Day student participant
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