For Immediate Release

Contact: Kara O’Keeffe
608-261-9596
kara.okeeffe@wisconsinhistory.org

June 19, 2019 

Wisconsin National History Day Students Take Home Prizes at the National Competition

Madison, Wis. - National History Day (NHD) students from Wisconsin had a successful time at the National competition on June 10-11, 2019. Students from across the state traveled to the University of Maryland’s campus to compete in the National History Day Contest. At Nationals, 56 students representing 22 Wisconsin schools competed against 3,100 students from across the country.

“National History Day in Wisconsin had a fantastic 2019 contest season,” said Jenny Kalvaitis, Wisconsin Historical Society coordinator of secondary education and coordinator for the National History Day program in Wisconsin. “At every level, NHD empowers students to discover the importance of history. From our volunteers and judges to our amazing donors, we make a huge impact on nearly 10,000 students in Wisconsin.”

Team Wisconsin represented us well and brought home the following honors.

Top 10 finishers in the nation and special awards:

• 6^th place Senior Individual Documentary – Maddie Uphoff “The Freedom Riders: ‘Freedom Wheels are Rolling’” Madison West High School
• 8^th place Senior Group Documentary – Siena Perna and Lauren Stoneman “A Peace to End all Peace: The Triumph of the Treaty of Versailles and the Tragedy of the Second World War” Stoneman Homeschool
• Irish or Irish-American History Award – Max Watchmaker and Ronan More O’Ferrall “The Irish Potato Famine – From oppression to opportunity” Junior Group Documentary, University School of Milwaukee
• American Labor History Award – Anna Pearce “The Bay View Tragedy: Wisconsin’s Fight for the Eight-Hour Work Day” Junior Paper, Richfield Middle School

Wisconsin affiliate prizewinners:

• Junior Division – Connor Dallman “The Triumph of Les Paul: Changing the world of music through his solid-body electric guitar and his creation of the multi-recorder” Junior Individual Performance, D.C. Everest Junior High School
• Senior Division – Stephen  Kwas “From Stumbling Block to Royal Banner: The Cross’ Transformation into a Symbol of Christianity” Senior Paper, St. Ambrose Academy

Documentary showing in the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National African American Museum of History and Culture:

• Trinity Jackson and Megan Palmisano “The Boston Busing Crisis: The Legal Triumph That Erupted Into Tragedy” Senior Group Documentary, Ronald Reagan I.B. High School

Exhibit Showcase at the National Museum of American History:

• Wilson Kierce “Gemini IX to X: Rallying from Tragic Disappointment Rockets NASA Into a Triumphant Future” Junior Individual Exhibit, Eagle School

“The Wisconsin delegation not only accomplished wonderful things academically on this very competitive national stage, but they also are simply amazing kids,” continued Kalvaitis. “The Society and NHD could not have asked for better Wisconsin history ambassadors!”

For more information on the National History Day program, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org/NHD

About Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.

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