Florida History Day Students Excel at National History Day

Tallahassee –

Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee is pleased to announce that Florida students excelled at the National History Day (NHD) competition in College Park, Maryland, winning five national awards and recognitions. From June 9–13, 60 students and 21 teachers represented the Sunshine State by attending the national competition at the University of Maryland.

 “At the Florida History Day state contest this past May, I was thrilled to meet these young historians, who spent months conducting research and developing their entries,” said Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee. “I’m delighted that their hard work, creativity and dedication has been recognized at the national contest, and I want to congratulate them for this significant achievement.”

Max Mateer (right) and Jessica Chang (left) placed first and second place respectively in the Senior Individual Performance category.

The students’ entries previously won at the Florida History Day state contest in Tallahassee, which advanced them to the National History Day contest. Florida History Day is sponsored by the Museum of Florida History. The middle- and high-school students presented their findings in a documentary, historical paper, performance, exhibit, or website related to the 2019 theme “Triumph and Tragedy in History.” More than 50,000 students participated statewide, making Florida one of the largest programs among the 57 National History Day affiliates. 

The national contest drew more than 3,000 students from the 50 states, District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and international schools in Southeast Asia. This year Florida received several top honors.

FLORIDA STUDENTS RECEIVING AWARDS AT NATIONAL HISTORY DAY

 Broward

Second Place Senior Individual Performance

Jessica Chang

Alice Paul: Brazen Suffragist and the Greatest Triumph for Women in America

Pembroke Pines Charter High School

Teacher: Carrie Hyacinth

 Escambia

First Place Senior Individual Performance

Max Mateer

Swallowing the Lion's Pride: A Requiem in Recompense

Pensacola High School

Teacher: Michael Jones

Hernando

Equality in History Special Prize

William An

Women in Revolt: The Enduring Legacy of the Newsweek Lawsuit

Frank  W. Springstead High School

Teacher: Suzanne Miranda

 Osceola

Outstanding Affiliate Award Senior

Baily Palmer, Peter Zeledon, and Alondra Curet

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study Tragedy: A Triumph in Medical Morality

Osceola County School for the Arts

Teacher: Kelly Cotton

Palm Beach

Outstanding Affiliate Award Junior

Daniela Guarino

Anne Frank and Miep Gies: The Triumph of Humanity over the Tragedy of War

American Heritage School of Boca/Delray

Teacher: Mindy Greenberg

###

About Florida History Day
Florida History Day is part of National History Day (NHD). NHD was established in 1974 to promote history in the classroom by offering students the means and encouragement to research people, ideas, and events of the past. The 2018–19 theme was Triumph and Tragedy in History. After analyzing and interpreting the information they gathered, students presented their findings in a paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, or website. This year, 55,871 students and 986 teachers in 32 counties were involved. For more information visit: floridahistoryday.com.