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 2025 National History Day® competition in College Park, MD.

Maryland History Day 2025 National History Day National Qualifiers (written in order of first and second place)

  • Junior Papers

    Student: Chaitra Maddineni
    Title: National Security vs. Freedom of The Press: The Legacy of The Pentagon Papers
    School: Clarksville Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Beth Ceglia, Cass Mairs, and Margaret Brothman

    Student: Owen Miller
    Title: Prohibition in Maryland: How Mencken and Ritchie Kept the State Wet for the Rights of the People
    School: Hampden Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Christopher Drexel

  • Junior Individual Exhibits

    Student: Nicolette Peters
    Title: Bread and Roses Strike – Fight for Economic and Social Rights
    School: Plum Point Middle School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Amber Mullins

    Student: Ava Johnson
    Title: Women’s Suffrage in Maryland
    School: Middletown Middle School, Frederick County
    Teacher: Magdalene Monahan

  • Junior Group Exhibits

    Students: Lillian Matragrano and Keira Oie
    Title: Bloody Sunday: Death on the Streets of Derry
    School: Silver Spring International Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Kevin Grimsland

    Students: Genevieve Lichtenberger and Lydia Garside
    Title: Women’s Right to Vote: Before and After the 19th Amendment
    School: Sligo Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Jason Smith

  • Junior Individual Documentaries

    Student: Roman Jackson
    Title: Seconds Save Lives: Rights and Responsibilities When Dialing 9-1-1
    School: Frederick Homeschoolers, Frederick County
    Teacher: Christine Pritt

    Student: Navya Dwivedi
    Title: Within the Shadows of Inequality: How Women Fought for Justice in American Spy Organizations
    School: Clarksville Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Beth Ceglia, Margaret Brothman, and Cass Mairs

  • Junior Group Documentaries

    Students: Leena Rajkotia and Kavya Rajkotia
    Title: Democracy’s Crucible: Rights Reborn, Responsibilities Reclaimed
    School: Rajkotia Homeschool, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Yogesh Rajkotia

    Students: Jack Topel, Jas Shandilya, and Aryan Patel
    Title: Voices Against Tyranny: The White Rose
    School: Bonnie Branch Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Steven Boone, Kara Nanni, and Sarah Russo

  • Junior Individual Performances

    Students: Maya Mourshed
    Title: Hello, Dolly!: How a Sheep Provoked Debate About the Implications of Breakthrough Scientific Advancements on Society
    School: Francis Scott Key Middle School, Montgomery County 
    Teacher: Steve O’Shaughnessy

    Students: Franka Hebisch
    Title: Corporate Tyranny: Upholding Worker’s and Women’s’ Rights and Owners Responsibilities During the Match Girls Strike of 1888
    School: Eastern Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Abigail Petit

  • Junior Group Performances

    Students: Maya Hassenplug, Madeline Massey, and Delina Birhan
    Title: Silenced Voices: How Italian Fascism Caused a Delay in Italian Women’s Voting Rights
    School: Eastern Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Abigail Petit

    Students: Elena Hamilton, Charlotte Conley, and Elle McRae
    Title: Take A Stand: The Lowell Girls’ Strike of 1836
    School: Patuxent Valley Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Monica Chelidona

  • Junior Individual Websites

    Student: Laila Asamoah
    Title: The Price of Silence: How the Pentagon Papers Changed America’s Right to Know
    School: Middletown Middle School, Frederick County
    Teacher: Magdalene Monahan

    Student: Harlan Christensen
    Title: Japanese Internment: Balancing Individual Rights and Wartime Responsibilities
    School: Plum Point Middle School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Amber Mullins

  • Junior Group Websites

    Students: Jordan Badger and Amani Jones
    Title: Uprooted and Imprisoned: Executive Order 9066 and Its Aftermath
    School: Kenmoor Middle School, Prince George’s County
    Teacher: Carol Carter

    Students: Riley Chan and Saarah Pirbhai
    Title: Death by DuPont: A Story of Corporate Neglect
    School: Bonnie Branch Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Steven Boone, Kara Nanni, and Sarah Russo

  • Senior Papers

    Student: Ishita Singh
    Title: The Radium Girls: The Undead Fight for Worker Rights
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Andy Ward

    Student: Jackson Rubin
    Title: The Crises of the Forgotten Child
    School: Annapolis High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Jessica Pantazis

  • Senior Individual Exhibits

    Student: Hemant Kantheti
    Title: Stamp of Silence: How the Comics Code Authority of 1954 Redefined Rights and Responsibilities in Pop Culture
    School: Howard High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Danelle Brennan

    Student: Skylar Dash
    Title: The 1985 Bombing of Osage Avenue
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • Senior Group Exhibits

    Students: Selena Zhang, Melanie Guo, and Honna Trinkl
    Title: The Holmesburg Experiments
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

    Students: Shiven Trambadia and Justin Wang
    Title: Blood Behind Bars: The Attica Prison Riot
    School: Howard High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Danelle Brennan

  • Senior Individual Documentaries

    Student: Christopher Hill
    Title: The Fight for The Right of Flight: The Tuskegee Airmen
    School: Oxon Hill High School, Prince George’s County
    Teacher: Adam Thomas

    Student: Alma Naghedi
    Title: “Many Called Salvageable”: Crownsville State Hospital and America’s Struggle with Race and Mental Health
    School: Crofton High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Daniel Collins

  • Senior Group Documentaries

    Students: Jordan Salkeld, Ava Mulligan, Benjamin Kasofsky, Michael Atika, and Sophie Vijayan
    Title: Evacuated and Erased: The History of Japanese Internment
    School: Towson High School, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Jeffrey Carter

    Students: Vihaan Jain and Neal Shandilya
    Title: The Controversy Behind the First Amendment: New York Times Co. vs. United States
    School: Howard High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Leah Foran and Danelle Brennan

  • Senior Individual Performances

    Student: Sravya Annappareddy
    Title: Autonomy Under Attack: Rights and Responsibilities in Roe
    School: Guilford Park High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Allison Miller

    Student: Imani Lovelace
    Title: 2Pac, 2 Legacies: The Complex Impacts of Tupac Shakur
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • Senior Group Performances

    Students: Surie Zhang, Annabelle Wu, and Tirzah Chan
    Title: The Lasting Impact of Forever Chemicals: How the DuPont Case Altered Corporate Responsibility and Consumer Rights
    School: River Hill High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Callie Casper

    Students: Aidan McGuire, Tommy Layi-Ojo, and Pierce Eatough
    Title: Miranda Rights and Legal Responsibilities: Balancing Justice in America
    School: Long Reach High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Lisa Milak

  • Senior Individual Websites

    Student: Ava Bergersen
    Title: Loving v. Virginia: A Landmark for Love and Equality
    School: Reservoir High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Jennifer Coker

    Student: Chloe Chang
    Title: Making WAVES: The First Women’s Reserve in the Navy
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • Senior Group Websites

    Students: Jacob Frias, Nikhil Pandey, Nuaimaan Tewfik, and Emmanuel Getahun
    Title: The Salute that Changed the World: The 1968 Black Power Salute
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

    Students: Mira Kalirai and Suriya Kalirai
    Title: The Outer Space Treaty: Rights and Responsibilities in the Cosmos
    School: River Hill High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Callie Casper

Maryland History Day Teacher Awards

  • Maryland History Day Statewide Middle School Teacher of the Year

    Lindsay Matthews
    Easton Middle School
    Talbot County

  • Maryland History Day Statewide High School Teacher of the Year

    Sam Manelski
    Loyola Blakefield
    Baltimore County

  • Anne Arundel County

    Jennifer Roman
    Virtual Academy, Anne Arundel County Public Schools 

  • Baltimore City

    Allisun Thompson
    Roland Park Elementary Middle School

  • Calvert County

    Dr. Jessica Western
    Calvert Middle School

  • Caroline County

    Linda Echternach
    Lockerman Middle School

  • Carroll County

    Joyce Abbott
    Oklahoma Roads Middle School and Sykesville Middle School

  • Cecil County

    Ray Costello
    The Tome School

  • Charles County

    Allen G. Hopkins
    Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building

  • Frederick County

    Katelyn Bishop
    Crestwood Middle School

  • Garrett County

    Amanda Wilburn
    Northern Garrett Middle School

  • Howard County

    Jennifer Coker
    Reservoir High School

  • Juvenile Services Education Program

    Sheila Leatherbury
    Victor Cullen Center

  • Montgomery County

    Rachel Lunsford
    North Bethesda Middle School

  • Prince George’s County

    Victoria Patch
    Eleanor Roosevelt High School

  • Queen Anne’s County

    Thomas Hayman
    Centreville Middle School

  • St. Mary’s County

    Leif Liberg
    St. Mary’s Ryken

2025 Special Prize Winners

  • Excellence in Latine History Award, Sponsored by Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman

    Students: Marla Fullen, Rosemary Murcia Sanchez
    Title: The Chicano Civil Rights Movement
    Category: Junior Group Exhibit
    School: Sykesville Middle School, Carroll County
    Teacher: Mary Mullinix

    Student: Emerson Vivrette
    Title: El Movimiento: Chicano Identity and the Fight for Mexican American Civil Rights
    Category: Junior Individual Website
    School: Elkridge Landing Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Felicia O’Meara

  • Marilyn Hatza Award for Excellence in African American History, Sponsored by the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture

    Student: Jalene Hailu
    Title: A Monumental March: Selma to Montgomery
    Category: Junior Individual Documentary
    School: Milton M. Somers Middle School, Charles County
    Teacher: Kristen Barrett

    Student: Alma Naghedi 
    Title: “Many Called Salvageable”: Crownsville State Hospital and America’s Struggle with Race and Mental Health
    Category: Senior Individual Documentary
    School: Crofton High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Daniel Collins

  • Award for Excellence In Indigenous History, Sponsored by The Baltimore Reservation Project

    Student: Max Moayedi
    Title: The Cost of Colonization: Indigenous Rights in Jamestown
    Category: Junior Individual Performance
    School: Elkridge Landing Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Felicia O’Meara

  • Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Award for Excellence in Government History

    Students: Kimberly Mueth and Sanjay Shenoy
    Title: Patriot or Traitor: The Release of the Pentagon Papers
    Category: Junior Group Documentary
    School: Patapsco Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Matthew Dymek

    Students: Amelia Lancaster and Lauren Miller
    Title: Lives in Balance
    Category: Senior Group Documentary
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • Award for Excellence in Asian History, Sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County History Department

    Students: River Skeen and Rowan Chang
    Title: The Chinese Exclusion Act
    Category: Junior Group Website
    School: Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Allisun Thompson

  • Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement and Action, Sponsored by the Maryland Council for the Social Studies

    Student: Annette Clougherty
    Title: Cow Wars
    Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
    School: Easton Middle School, Talbot County
    Teacher: Lindsay Matthews

    Student: Eleanor Hotchkiss 
    Title: “The Face Behind the Photo” Lewis Hine and his Impact on the Child Labor Industry
    Category: Senior Individual Performance
    School: Annapolis High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Jessica Pantazis

  • The Barry A. Lanman Award for Excellence in Oral History, Sponsored by Barry A. Lanman

    Students: Kamaal Aaron, Kenson Okah, and Michael Ayodeji
    Title: The Disguised Genocide
    Category: Senior Group Documentary
    School: Oxon Hill High School, Prince George’s County
    Teachers: Paul Mock and Elexis Brooks

  • Award for Excellence in Labor History, Sponsored by Bill Barry and Friends

    Student: Caroline Shaw
    Title: Exposing Injustices: Muckrakers in the Progressive Era
    Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
    School: Centreville Middle School, Queen Anne’s County
    Teacher: Andy Anders

    Student: Ishita Singh
    Title: The Radium Girls: The Undead Fight for Worker Rights
    Category: Senior Paper
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Andy Ward

  • Eugene J. Becker Award for Excellence in Cybersecurity and Cryptology, Sponsored by National Cryptologic Foundation

    Student: Anna Hao
    Title: Code Girls: The American Women Who Broke Codes in World War II
    Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
    School: The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Matthew Hetrick

    Student: Chloe Chang
    Title: Making WAVES: The First Women’s Reserve in the Navy
    Category: Senior Individual Website
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • The George Washington Leadership Prize, Sponsored by George Washington’s Mount Vernon

    Student: McKenna Stockman-Quade
    Title: Forge Ahead! How Washington’s Army Overcame Adversity, 1777-1778
    Category: Senior Individual Exhibit
    School: Homeschool, St. Mary’s County
    Teacher: Carol Stockman-Quade

    Student: Aidan Bossle
    Title: Republicanism in the Federal Convention of 1787
    Category: Senior Paper
    School: Loyola Blakefield, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Samuel Manelski

  • The Major General John E. Morrison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and Innovation, Sponsored by the National Cryptologic Foundation

    Student: Levi Golt 
    Title: A Need for Nothing: A History of the Greatest Mathematical Discovery
    Category: Junior Paper
    School: The Tome School, Cecil County 
    Teacher: Raymond Costello

    Student: Jasper Benke
    Title: Balancing Safety and Security: Lessons from the 1979 Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident on US Energy Policy and Government Responsibility
    Category: Senior Individual Website
    School: Walt Whitman High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Peter Kenah

  • Award for Excellence in Maryland History, Sponsored by the Maryland Center for History and Culture

    Student: Owen Miller
    Title: Prohibition in Maryland: How Mencken and Ritchie Kept the State Wet for the Rights of the People
    Category: Junior Paper
    School: Hampden Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Christopher Drexel

    Student: McLuhan Conway
    Title: Smallwood and Torrey: Renegades for Rights
    Category: Senior Individual Documentary
    School: Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Patrice Frasier

  • Michael E. Patten Memorial History Award for Best Use of Primary Sources, Sponsored by the Frank Patten Family

    Students: Dalya Lippmann, Grace Kepka, and Lydia Tucker 
    Title: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities: Cigarette Advertising in the Late 20th Century
    Category: Senior Group Exhibit
    School: Montgomery Blair High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Marc Grossman

  • Award for Excellence in History of Science and Technology, Sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County History Department

    Student: Liliana Katz
    Title: The Birth of Bioethics
    Category: Senior Individual Documentary
    School: The Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Sara Romeyn

  • Special Prize for Excellence in Women's History, Sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County History Department

    Student: Yashaswini Kunati
    Title: Silenced Voices: The Dark Era of Eugenics that Haunts Our World
    Category: Junior Individual Website
    School: Windsor Knolls Middle School, Frederick County
    Teacher: Rebecca Clark

  • Special Prize for Excellence in Women's History, Sponsored by the Maryland Women's Heritage Center

    Student: Arianie Dey
    Title: Breaking The Bar
    Category: Senior Paper
    School: Urbana High School, Frederick County
    Teacher: Erin Spahr

  • Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation, Sponsored by the Maryland Historical Trust

    Students: Garrett Savage and Owen Rowe
    Title: Frostburg Preservation: Museum Leading Generations
    Category: Junior Group Exhibit
    School: Northern Middle School, Garrett County
    Teacher: Amanda Wilburn

    Student: A Juvenile Services Education Program Student
    Title: Tangier Island
    Category: Senior Individual Exhibit
    School: Victor Cullen Center
    Teacher: Sheila Leatherbury

  • Award for Excellence in Legal and Constitutional History, Sponsored by Cynthia Raposo and Joseph Furey

    Students: Mary Thrush and Violet Taylor
    Title: The Nuremberg Trials: Serving Justice by Creating International Law while Protecting Human Rights 
    Category: Junior Group Website
    School: Northern Middle School, Garrett County
    Teacher: Amanda Wilburn

    Student: Brett Sheranko
    Title: Corporate Personhood: When Speech Comes with a Price Tag
    Category: Senior Individual Documentary
    School: Patuxent High School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Jacqueline Hall

  • Award for Excellence in LGBTQ+ History, Sponsored by Jeanne M. Marcus and Friends

    Student: Noah Burd 
    Title: “Our Last Oppressed National Minority”: The Lavender Scare’s War on Queer Lives
    Category: Junior Individual Performance
    School: Thomas Johnson Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Julie Ruff

    Students: Clara Park, Hadley Miller, and Olivia Lawrence
    Title: Frank Kameny’s Fight: Forging Gay Equality in the Government
    Category: Senior Group Website
    School: Poolesville High School, Montgomery County 
    Teacher: Stephanie Gomer

  • Excellence in White House History, Sponsored by the White House Historical Association

    Student: Sloan Willey 
    Title: The Founding of Shenandoah
    Category: Junior Individual Exhibit 
    School: Lockerman Middle School, Caroline County
    Teacher: Linda Echternach

    Student: Grace Stine
    Title: The Burning of Washington/The Rights and Responsibilities of The White House Legacy
    Category: Senior Individual Exhibit 
    School: Francis Scott Key High School, Caroll County
    Teacher: Rebecca Bell

  • The Award for Excellence in United States Military History, Sponsored by the Maryland Military Monuments Commission

    Student: Liam Carsia
    Title: Atomic Veterans: The Fight for Rights, Government Responsibility, and Recognition
    Category: Junior Individual Documentary 
    School: Milton M. Somers Middle School, Charles County
    Teacher: Kristen Barrett

    Student: Christopher Hill 
    Title: The Fight for The Right of Flight: The Tuskegee Airmen
    Category: Senior Individual Documentary
    School: Oxon Hill High School, Prince George’s County 
    Teacher: Adam Thomas

NHD® and Maryland Humanities Contest Disclaimer

National History Day® and Maryland Humanities does not censor student contest entries based on content. This means that the views and opinions expressed in student entries are those of the students and/or the sources cited in their projects. They may not and often do not represent the views or opinions of National History Day, Inc., Maryland Humanities or its donors, sponsors, supporters, partners, or affiliates.

  • “I had never done anything like this before so it was a totally new experience to write a paper, be interviewed, and defend my positions. I now really know how to do research and it has improved my writing skills.”

    ​Maryland History Day student

  • “[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

  • “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

  • “[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

  • “We were very impressed with the depth of research all the students did for their History Day projects. It was fun to see them interacting with each other during the competition and events.”

    Lori and Josh Skillman, History Day Parents

  • 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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “Maryland History Day challenged my daughter to go deeper, deeper in research analysis and presentation. It took her to a whole new level academically.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “I had never done anything like this before so it was a totally new experience to write a paper, be interviewed, and defend my positions. I now really know how to do research and it has improved my writing skills.”

    ​Maryland History Day 2015 Student

  • “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
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