IUSD students showcased their research and analysis during the 2022 National History Day-California contest held at William Jessup University in Rocklin, California from May 6-May 8. Seven of the 13 projects selected to represent the state at the national championship were from Sierra Vista Middle School. Additionally, IUSD students from seven different schools won a total of 21 awards.
The National History Day program features more than 600,000 students every year. Each individual or group entry is given the opportunity to conduct primary and secondary research to develop their theses.
Every year National History Day frames students’ research within a historical theme. The theme is chosen for the broad application to world, national or state history and its relevance to ancient history or to the more recent past. The theme provides a focused way to increase student’s historical understanding, an organizational structure, and the ability to see connections over time. Participants’ research focused on this year’s theme, “Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences.” Students utilized resources from libraries, museums, archives and eyewitness accounts and presented their findings through mediums including documentaries, exhibits, performances, posters, websites, papers or podcasts. All entries were judged and interviewed by 160 professionals, including historians and educators.
The winning historical submissions will have the chance to compete in the online national competition from June 12-16. Detailed below are the IUSD students and their projects recognized at this year’s state competition.
IUSD Junior Champions (Grades 6-8)
Junior Individual Documentary
“The Panama Canal: Centuries of Tension for Miles of Connection”
Leanna Lo, Sierra Vista Middle School
Junior Group Documentary
“Reclaiming Kaho’olawe: How One Island Changed the Lives of Hawaiians”
Moksha Kolli, Ritieka Kumar, Sierra Vista Middle School
Junior Individual Exhibit
“World Cup Fever at Its Worst: The Fútbol War of 1969”
Megan Liu, Sierra Vista Middle School
Junior Group Exhibit
“The Barbary Wars: The First Fight Ending Terrorism”
Alexis Low, Lauren Low, Sierra Vista Middle School
Junior Historical Paper
“The Cod Wars: Iceland’s Victory Through Diplomacy and the Global Consequences of their Success”
Alexander Miller, Lakeside Middle School
Junior Individual Performance
“Yu Gwan Sun: A Martyr of the Korean Independence Movement”
Susan Kim, Sierra Vista Middle School
Junior Group Performance
“Social Security Act of 1935”
Sumayya Jaffar, Charlotte Collins-Williams, Maya Marfatia, Diane Almaoui, Kasia Lien, Sierra Vista Middle School
Junior Individual Website
“Interracial Marriage in American History: From Diplomacy to Debate”
Frankie Holland, IUSD Virtual Academy
Junior Group Website
“Judy Blume and the Battle Against Book Censorship”
Isabelle Yang, Zixuan Cui, Yongjing Li, Sierra Vista Middle School
Junior Individual Podcast
“Unwinding the Doomsday Clock Through Diplomacy: SALT Negotiations of 1969-1972”, Venado Middle School
IUSD Senior Champions (Grades 9-12)
Senior Individual Exhibit
“A World Without War: Women Empowered Debate and Diplomacy at the Hague”
Riya Gupta, Northwood High School
Senior Group Exhibit
“Abstract Expressionist Art in the American National Exhibition: Modernist Culture as a Diplomatic Weapon”
Sol Choi, Deul Choi, Allison Yue, University High School
Special Award Winners
Longevity Award
Jasmine Chaabria, Northwood High School
Bushong for Social Justice Legacy / Stephenson Family Award for Sports History
Yaseen Obaidi, Yahya Sevinc, Garrett Vincent, Harmony Yan-Li, Venado Middle School
Catalina Pacheco Memorial Award
“Social Security Act of 1935”
Sumayya Jaffar, Charlotte Collins-Williams, Maya Marfatia, Diane Almaoui, Kasia Lien, Sierra Vista Middle School
Herbert Nikirk Visual Art in History
“Abstract Expressionist Art in the American National Exhibition: Modernist Culture as a Diplomatic Weapon”
Sol Choi, Deul Choi, Allison Yue, University High School
Individual in History
Emily Yokota, Sierra Vista Middle School
National Maritime Historical Society Award
“The Cod Wars: Iceland’s Victory Through Diplomacy and the Global Consequences of their Success”
Alexander Miller, Lakeside Middle School
Technology in History
Audrey Kim, Santiago Hills Elementary
Turning Points in History
“Dire Diplomacy: How the Munich Agreement Failed to Prevent World War II”
Aryanna Lee, Sierra Vista Middle School
William E. Geary Award for Military History
“The Diplomatic Consequences of a Forgotten War: How Two Powers Pitted Korea Against Itself”