Maryland History Day Winners

Each year nearly 700 Maryland students advance to the Maryland History Day state competition at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

See which teachers were honored, who walked away with with special prizes, and which projects were selected to advance to the 2017 National History Day® competition in College Park, MD.

Maryland History Day 2017 Advancers to National History Day (written in order of first and second place)

  • Junior Papers, sponsored by The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
    Taylor Manor: Taking a Stand for Mental Health
    Emmeline Murphy
    Ellicott Mills Middle School
    Teachers: Gregory Mushro and Kathy Manley

    Trees Not Tyranny: The Fight of Wangari Maathai
    Bronwyn Patterson
    Annapolis Middle School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Philip Casolo

  • Junior Individual Exhibits, sponsored by Columbia Gas of Maryland
    Woodrow Wilson and the Fight for the League of Nations
    Lilian Baker
    Central Middle School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Lynn Schwalje

    The Price of Taking a Stand: Omaha Beach
    Emma Reed
    Mt. Airy Middle School, Carroll County
    Teacher: Stacey Gruber

  • Junior Group Exhibits, sponsored by Columbia Gas of Maryland
    Brown v. Board of Education of Calvert County: Taking a Stand for African-American Teachers
    Tyler Cassidy and Edward Williams
    Plum Point Middle School, Calvert County
    Teachers: Merry Ellen McGown and Susan Cox

    Her Fight: Ida B. Wells’ Impact on Racial Equality
    Dana Barker and Susan Kim
    Mayfield Woods Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Katie Quinn and Beth Singleton

  • Junior Individual Documentaries, sponsored by Wegmans
    Coach Lincoln Phillips: Taking a Stand against the NCAA
    Jason Taylor
    Ellicott Mills Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Cindy Waugh

    Siegfried Sassoon: Choosing Poetry over War
    Nicholas Pham
    Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Alexandra Fleming

  • Junior Group Documentaries, sponsored by Wegmans
    Justin Whitlock Dart, Jr.: The Father of the Americans with Disabilities Act
    Nicole Bachman, Sonia Goyal, and Sydney Shin
    Lime Kiln Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Gary McMullin and Tracy Spillman

    Harvey Milk: Taking a Stand for Gay Rights
    Allison Lord and Parker O’Neill
    West Middle School, Carroll County
    Teacher: Stacey Gruber

  • Junior Individual Performances, sponsored by Ziger/Snead LLP
    Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Hero for Women,Destroyer of Social Injustice
    Leslie Deiss
    Mayfield Woods Middle School, Howard County
    Teacher: Katie Quinn and Beth Singleton

    Project C and the Birmingham Children’s Crusade: How the Children Marched to End Segregation
    Tejal Schwartz
    Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Alexandra Fleming

  • Junior Group Performances, sponsored by Ziger/Snead LLP
    The Scopes Trial: The Enlightenment of a People
    Myles Feingold-Black, Sally Kaye, Troy Keller, and Kiera Lamb
    Eastern Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teachers: Justin Earley and Ryan Flynn

    Emma Tenayuca and the Fight for Justice in the Workplace
    Maxine George, Alina Glass, and Marie Naka
    Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City
    Teachers: Alexandra Fleming and Karl Sanzenbacher

  • Junior Individual Websites
    Lewis Hine: Focusing the Lens on Child Labor
    Abigail Setzfand
    Northern Middle School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Devin Page

    The March for a Difference: Cesar Chavez
    Emily Paz
    Patuxent Valley Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Monica Bickerton and Timothy Williamson

  • Junior Group Websites
    The Japanese-Americans’ Fight for Justice
    Sabina McCormick, Hana Sakaniwa, and Nora Salem
    Eastern Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teachers: Justin Earley

    Aung San Suu Kyi: One Voice for All Burmese
    Naomi Chao and Virginia Wang
    Burleigh Manor Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Robyn Page, Barbara Randolph, and Joanna Wade

  • Senior Papers, sponsored by The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
    Jane Jacobs: People-Centered Cities and the Fight for Social Justice in Urban Planning
    Matthew Palatnik
    Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Allison Wilder

    Governor Ralph Carr: Standing Alone
    Andrew Cha
    Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Hunter Hogewood

  • Senior Individual Exhibits, sponsored by Columbia Gas of Maryland
    King Sejong: The Light the Led Korea
    Stephanie Oh
    Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Tyler Meinhart

    Frederick Douglass: Taking a Stand with Words
    Daniel Bates
    Trinity Homeschool Academy, Prince George’s County
    Teachers: Robin and Wendell Bates

  • Senior Group Exhibits, sponsored by Columbia Gas of Maryland
    Alfred Wegener and His Stand for Continental Drift
    Theresa Dollar and Na Hye Kim
    Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Daniel McKenna

    The Stand It Took to Stand on the Moon
    Allison Alston and Caslin Sisk
    Reservoir High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Jennifer Coker

  • Senior Individual Documentaries, sponsored by Wegmans
    The Berlin Airlift: Taking a Stand for a City Surrounded
    Molly Bingham
    Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Paul Eckert

    Beyond the Shadow of Agent Orange: Veterans Stand for Justice
    Jake Blum
    Howard High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Tracy Mai

  • Senior Group Documentaries, sponsored by Wegmans
    Torch No. 1: Jan Palach and the Prague Spring
    Joseph Harvey, Nick Keifer, and Abby McGovern
    Frederick Homeschoolers, Frederick County
    Teacher: Christine Pritt

    Candace Lightner: She Got M.A.D.D.
    Maria Phelps and Alice Walker
    Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Allison Wilder

  • Senior Individual Performances, sponsored by Ziger/Snead LLP
    Alice Paul: Taking a Stand for Women’s Equality
    Gracie Knudson
    Huntingtown High School, Calvert County
    Teacher: Jonathan Moreland

    Defender of the Defenseless: Josephine Butler’s Stand against the Contagious Diseases Act
    Megan Tatum
    Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Daniel McKenna

  • Senior Group Performances, sponsored by Ziger/Snead LLP
    Prudence Over Profits: How Dr. Frances Kelsey’s Opposition to Pharmaceutical Interests Averted a National Tragedy
    Hannah Chan, Phoebe Chan, and Joseph Heitzmann
    River Hill High School, Howard County
    Teachers: Richard Gray and Angela Johnson

    Siegfried Sassoon: A Soldier’s Battle against the War
    Garrett Miller and Christian Woo
    Mount St. Joseph High School, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Ryan Folmer

  • Senior Individual Websites
    E. Cuyler Hammond: The Stand against Cigarettes
    Matthew Heymann
    The Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Sara Romeyn

    A Force against Slavery: William Wilberforce’s Stand against the British Slave Trade
    Michelle Liu
    Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Tyler Meinhart

  • Senior Group Websites
    The Inability to Take a Stand: The Navajo Nation and the Need for Uranium
    Christopher Pondoc and Jamie Roan
    Frederick High School, Frederick County
    Teacher: Beth Strakonsky

    Charles Hamilton Houston: The Unsung Hero Behind the Desegregation of Higher Education
    Victoria Archampong, Paris Copeland, Jhasper Paul, and Ishwarya Thota
    Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Daniel McKenna

Maryland History Day Teachers Awards

  • Maryland History Day Statewide Teacher of the Year
    Gary Thompson
    Southern Middle School
    Garrett County
  • Allegany County
    Mark Malone
    Fort Hill High School
  • Anne Arundel County
    Jill Grimm
    Crofton Middle School
  • Baltimore City
    Alexandra Fleming
    Roland Park Elementary/Middle School
  • Baltimore County
    Philip O’Brocki
    Parkville Middle School
  • Calvert County
    Susan Cox
    Plum Point Middle School
  • Caroline County
    Linda Echternach
    Lockerman Middle School
  • Carroll County
    Drista Bowser
    Mt. Airy and Northwest Middle Schools
  • Charles County
    Danielle Carpenter
    St. Charles High School
  • Frederick County
    Heather McCarthy Rose
    Specialist for Social Studies, Frederick County Public Schools
  • Harford County
    Drusilla Herbert
    Bel Air Middle School
  • Howard County
    Gregory Mushro
    Ellicott Mills Middle School
  • Montgomery County
    Troy Turner
    Colonel E. Brooke Lee Middle School
  • Prince George's County
    James Goeke-Morey
    St. Ambrose Catholic School
  • Queen Anne's County
    Andrew Anders
    Centreville Middle School
  • Somerset County
    Stephen Smith
    Washington Academy and High School
  • Wicomico County
    Kevin Webberking
    James M. Bennett Middle School
  • Worcester County
    Anne Cook
    Stephen Decatur Middle School

2017 Special Prize Winners

  • Special Prize in African American History, sponsored by the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture
    Madame C.J. Walker Takes a Stand for Women Entrepreneurs
    Kayla Banks, Aminah Carter, and Ayanna Jones
    Junior Group Documentary
    Somerset Intermediate School, Somerset County
    Teacher: Randi Merritt

    The Emancipation Proclamation
    Vanessa Cifuentes and Ilsa Naseer
    Senior Group Website
    North Caroline High School, Caroline County
    Teacher: Alan Rausch

  • Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Award for Excellence in Government History
    Woodrow Wilson and the Fight for the League of Nations
    Lilian Baker
    Junior Individual Exhibit
    Central  Middle School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Lynn Schwalje

    Governor Ralph Carr: Standing Alone
    Andrew Cha
    Senior Paper
    Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Hunter Hogewood

  • Award for Excellence in Civic Action and Engagement, sponsored by the Maryland Council for the Social Studies
    Anne Hutchinson: Banished from Boston
    Grace Parcover
    Junior Individual Website
    Dumbarton Middle School, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Evan Richards

    Tiananmen Square Protests
    Greg Deyesu, Mason Hall, Forbes Lau, and Kyle Zimmerman
    Senior Group Website
    Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Frank Passaro

  • The Barry A. Lanman Award for Oral History, Martha Ross Center for Oral History, UMBC, sponsored by John D. Willard V
    Race and Resistance: Little Rock Nine
    Gurkamal Kaur, Chahat Kumair, and Skylar McCarty
    Junior Group Exhibit
    Holabird Middle School, Baltimore County
    Teacher: Nicole Seifert

    Taking a Stand against Objectification: The Miss America Protest of 1968
    Hannah Hoang, JinJoo Lee, and Sarah Runge
    Senior Group Documentary
    Parkside High School, Wicomico County
    Teacher: David Crissman

  • Special Prize in Labor History, sponsored by Community College of Baltimore County, Labor Studies Program
    The Price of Freedom: Lech Wałęsa and the Birth of Solidarity
    Rebekah Ropka
    Junior Paper
    Boonsboro Middle School, Washington County
    Teacher: David Lewis

    Bread and Red Roses: How Rose Schneiderman Took a Stand and Won Working Women’s Rights
    Stephanie Lehrman
    Senior Individual Performance
    Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Daniel McKenna

  • The George Washington Leadership Prize, sponsored by the George Washington’s Mount Vernon
    Taking a Stand against the Government: The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794
    Sophia Bishoff
    Junior Paper
    Southern Middle School, Garrett County
    Teacher: Gary Thompson
  • The Judges James and Constantine Kit Sfekas Award for Law and Society, sponsored by the Honorable Stephen J. and Dr. Elizabeth Sfekas
    Watergate: Investigative Journalism Taking a Stand against Corruption
    Ferdinando Parziale
    Junior Paper
    Stephen Decatur Middle School, Worcester County
    Teacher: Anne Cooke

    A Moment in the Human Conscience: Émile Zola Taking a Stand against the French Military in the Dreyfus Affair of 1894  to 1906
    Erin Yu
    Senior Paper
    Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Tyler Meinhart

  • The Dr. Dean Mesologites Award for Medicine and Society, sponsored by Honorable Stephen J. and Dr. Elizabeth Sfekas:
    Pick Up the Sword and Fight!: Princess Diana’s Impact on AIDS
    Kiah Beahler, Sofia Corrales, and Lucy Drummond
    Junior Group Website
    Eastern Middle School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Justin Earley

    E. Cuyler Hammond: The Stand against Cigarettes
    Matthew Heymann
    Senior Individual Website
    The Bullis School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Sara Romeyn

  • The Major General John E. Morrison Award in Excellence and Innovation, sponsored by the National Cryptologic Museum Foundation
    Elizabeth Blackwell’s Journey into the Medical Field
    Samantha Hare, Elise Parks, and Sophia Surina
    Junior Group Performance
    Matapeake Middle School, Queen Anne’s County
    Teacher: Curtis George

    Alfred Wegener and His Stand for Continental Drift
    Theresa Dollar and Na Hye Kim
    Senior Group Exhibit
    Poolesville High School, Montgomery County
    Teacher: Daniel McKenna

  • Milton Zaslow Award in Cryptology, sponsored by the National Cryptologic Museum Foundation
    Navajo Code Talkers: Taking a Stand in History
    William George
    Junior Individual Documentary
    Centreville Middle School, Queen Anne’s County
    Teacher:Thomas Hayman

    Invisible Hero: Tony Mendez and the Rescue of the American Houseguests During the Iranian Hostage Crisis
    Abigail Haffey, Katherine Harvey, and Kelly McGovern
    Senior Group Performance
    Frederick Homeschoolers, Frederick County
    Teacher: Christine Pritt

  • Special Prize in Maryland History, sponsored by the Maryland Historical Society
    Brown v. Board of Education of Calvert County: Taking a Stand for African-American Teachers
    Tyler Cassidy, Edward Williams
    Junior Group Exhibit
    Plum Point Middle School, Calvert County
    Teachers: Merry Ellen McGown and Susan Cox

    Margaret Brent Defies Gender Roles
    Breanna Devlin-Tremble
    Senior Individual Exhibit
    Chesapeake High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Anthony Berard

  • Special Prize in Military History, sponsored by the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society
    The Court-Martial of Colonel William “Billy” Mitchell: Taking a Stand to Tell the Truth
    Gwyneth Luster
    Junior Individual Documentary
    St. Mary’s Bryantown School, Charles County
    Teacher: Chris Hayes

    Simón Bolívar’s Impact on the Colombian Revolution
    Cassie Bedard, Jake Mitchell, Shea Przywiezerski, and Adelina Rolea
    Senior Group Website
    South Hagerstown High School, Washington County
    Teacher: Matthew Poling

  • Michael E. Patten Memorial History Award for Best Use of Primary Sources, sponsored by the Frank Patten Family
    The Inability to Take a Stand: The Navajo Nation and the Need for Uranium
    Christopher Pondoc and Jamie Roan
    Senior Group Website
    Frederick High School, Frederick County
    Teacher: Beth Strakonsky
  • Naval and Maritime History Award, sponsored by the National Capitol Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States
    Helen Delich Bentley: Taking a Stand for the Port of Baltimore
    Jessica Lester and Sophia Reicherter
    Junior Group Exhibit
    Central Middle School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Jessica Barnett

    Admiral Yi Sun Shin and the Turtleboat Armada: The Defense against the Japanese Invasions of 1592
    Alex Kim
    Senior Individual Performance
    Marriotts Ridge High School, Howard County
    Teacher: Tyler Meinhart

  • The Peace Study Center Award, sponsored by the Peace Study Center, Baltimore
    The Danish Resistance
    Robert Finegar and Alexander Nguyen
    Junior Group Website
    Wilde Lake Middle School, Howard County
    Teachers: Jennifer Rankin-LaChapelle and Joanna Tanner

    Witnessing History: Jehovah’s Witnesses Taking a Stand for God’s Kingdom
    Javier LaRue
    Senior Individual Exhibit
    Allegany High School, Allegany County
    Teacher: Kimberly Sloane

  • Special Prize in the History of Science and Technology, sponsored by the UMBC Human Context of Science & Technology Program
    Galileo Galilei: Taking a Stand for Science
    Samuel Chernoff
    Junior Individual Website
    Milton Somers Middle School, Charles County
    Teacher: Kristen Barrett

    Alternating Our Current Times
    Robert Dunham and Joseph Schallmo
    Senior Group Exhibit
    Mount St. Joseph High School
    Teacher: Ryan Folmer

  • Special Prize in Women's History, sponsored by the Department of History, UMBC
    Clara Barton: Standing Tall
    Lily Timmons and PJ Venezia-Westphal
    Junior Group Exhibit
    Stephen Decatur Middle School, Worcester County
    Teacher: Leah Olsen
  • Special Prize in Women's History, sponsored by the Maryland Women's Heritage Center
    Hull’s Angels: Breaking Down Social Barriers on the Road to Assimilation
    Marena Mosher
    Senior Individual Exhibit
    Francis Scott Key High School, Carroll County
    Teacher: Rebecca Bell
  • Special Prize in Historic Preservation, sponsored by the Maryland Historical Trust
    Asseateague Island Preservation
    Ava Gerrior, Olivia Marshall, Abigail Reynolds, and Victoria Zhang
    Junior Group Exhibit
    Centreville Middle School, Queen Anne’s County
    Teacher: Thomas Hayman

    Preservation or Profit: A Fight Over Dams in the Grand Canyon
    Caleb Clark
    Senior Individual Exhibit
    Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore City
    Teacher: Matthew Lummel

  • Special Prize in Legal and Constitutional History
    A Little More Learning
    Genevieve Batman
    Junior Individual Exhibit
    The Bishop Walsh School, Allegany County
    Teacher:Angela Grimm

    The Face of the Enemy
    Elizabeth Laskey
    Senior Paper
    Meade High School, Anne Arundel County
    Teacher: Melinda Gosselin

  • 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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “It provided an opportunity for my child to learn through experiential opportunities. He had interviews and tours that were relevant to his topic that helped the history come alive and create unforgettable memories.”

    Maryland History Day 2015 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 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

  • “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

  • “[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

  • “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

  • “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

  • “[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

  • “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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