National Competition

Nearly 3,000 students from across the globe gathered at the University of Maryland in June to compete at the national level for National History Day! Among that number were 14 students representing Philadelphia. Philly students competed in both the Junior and Senior divisions, with performances, documentaries, websites, and papers.

The Junior Division Group Performance duo Alex J. and Connor M. (St. Mary Interparochial School) won the Captain Ken Coskey Naval History Award for their project, “Letters of Marque and Reprisal: Rights, Responsibilities, and the Forging of a New Nation.”

We could not be more proud of our Philly students’ incredible work and dedication!

State Competition

650 Students gathered at the University of Scranton for the National History Day Pennsylvania State Contest! Philadelphia brought 60 students to the contest across both the Junior and Senior Divisions. We are so proud of all the students who competed with their projects on “Rights and Responsibilities”! 18 students from Philadelphia won a medal for their project, and 14 qualified for the National Contest at the University of Maryland this June!

The following students qualified for the National Contest at the University of Maryland in June by earning First or Second Place:

– Senior Group Documentary: 1st Place, “Pauli Murray” by Cavance S. and Howard S. (Constitution High School)

– Senior Group Documentary: 2nd Place, “From Class to Court: How Lau v. Nichols Reaffirmed the Right to Equitable Education,” by Corinne X., Eoin D. and Owen K. (Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School)

– Senior Individual Documentary: 1st Place, “It’s U.S. Versus Them: How Vietnam War Dissent Drafted a New Meaning of “What You Can Do for Your Country,”‘ by Sarah Z. (Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School)

– Senior Group Performance: 1st Place, “‘A Fate Worse than Death’: How the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act Defined Patients’ Rights and Doctors’ Responsibilities,” by Amaliya K., Taylor S., and Jessica J. (Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School)

– Senior Paper: 2nd Place: “Rights, Responsibilities, and Repression: Fred Hampton, Bill O’Neal, and the FBI’s War on Activism,” by Amanda K. (Central High School)

– Senior Group Website: 1st Place: “‘A Nazi Built My Spaceship?!’: How Operation Paperclip Bent the Truth to Reach the Stars,” by Daniella L. and Giulia S. (Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School)

– Junior Group Performance: 2nd Place, “Letters of Marque and Reprisal: Rights, Responsibilities, and the Forging of a New Nation,” by Connor M. and Alexander J. (St. Mary Interparochial School)

__________________________________________________

The following students and projects received Third Place, and will serve as alternates to represent Pennsylvania at the National Competition in case the First and Second Place Winners cannot attend:

– Senior Paper: 3rd Place, “ “From Black Codes to Bills: How the Mulford Act Impacted the Gun Rights of Black Californians,” by Fatima N. (Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School)

– Senior Individual Website: 3rd Place, “‘A’ as in Auschwitz, ‘B’ as in Biafra”: How a Country Accused of Genocide Revolutionized Civilian Rights,” by Halimah F. (Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School)

– Junior Individual Performance: 3rd Place, “Catholic Rights and Responsibilities in Philadelphia: Colonial Times to 1850,” by Nicolina D. (St. Mary Interparochial School)

– Junior Individual Website: 3rd Place, “‘Approved’: The Story of the Comics Code Authority and the Fight for Creative Freedom,” by Benjamin Z. (St. Mary Interparochial School)

NHD Philly 2025

Over 120 students from across Philadelphia gathered at the National Constitution Center on Thursday, March 13th for the National History Day Philadelphia 2025 competition! Students showcased their projects on this year’s theme, “Rights and Responsibilities.” From exhibit boards to performances, from papers to websites and documentaries, Philly students brought the creativity! We are incredibly proud of all the hard work and effort exemplified by these young scholars!

JUNIOR DIVISION

Individual Documentary

• First Place: “Zitkala-Sa: Writing the Way toward Native American Citizenship,” by Charlotte J.
• Second Place: “The Nuremberg Trials: The Fight for Justice,” by Edison L.

Group Documentary

• First Place: “Building a Professional Sports Arena: Rights and Responsibilities,” by Nasir J., Zyair W. and Ubayd S.
• Second Place: “The Forgotten War: Rights Denied, Responsibilities Ignored,” by Rozaiym B., Veronika K., and Oftob U.
• Third Place: “Walking Tears and Sorrow,” by John Y. and Jessica W.

Individual Performance

• First Place: “Catholic Rights and Responsibilities in Philadelphia: Colonial Times to 1850,” by Nicolina D.

Group Performance

• First Place: “Letters of Marque and Reprisal: Rights, Responsibilities, and the Forging of a New Nation,” by Connor M. and Alexander J.

Individual Website

First Place: “‘Approved’: The Story of the Comics Code Authority and the Fight for Creative Freedom,” by Benjamin Z.

Second Place: “A Broken Peace: The Kosovo War and Shattered Dreams of Coexistence,” by Kiara A.

Third Place: “What’s With the Gender Gap?” by Laylaa M.

Honorable Mention: “Should Teachers Be Armed in Schools?” by Kamonie C.

Group Website

• First Place: “The Cosmic Contract: Rights and Responsibilities in the Mandate of Heaven,” by Kaiyuan C. and Alan Z.
• Second Place: “The Philosopher’s Dilemma: Socrates, Athens, and the Search for Justice,” by Ahmad A., Metin B. and Zachariah C.
• Third Place: “Redefining Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities in Revolutionary France,” by Jadira S. and Sophia P.

Paper

• First Place: “The Great Depression,” by Kazyr F.
• Second Place: “Women Strike for Peace,” by Samirah A.

Individual Exhibit

• First Place: “Broken Chains: The Abolition of Slavery in Brazil,” by Bernardo D.
• Second Place: “Stories of Untold – Black is Beautiful Movement,” by Mila G.
• Third Place: “Legalizing Marijuana,” by Miani R.

Group Exhibit

• First Place: “The Korean War: Rights and Responsibilities in a Divided World,” by Tiffany Z. Julia B. and Anh T.

SENIOR DIVISION

Individual Documentary

First Place: “It’s U.S. Versus Them: How Vietnam War Dissent Drafted a New Meaning of “What You Can Do for Your Country,”‘ by Sarah Z.

Second Place: “Ida B. Wells,” by Kadja Diabira

Third Place: “The Little Rock 9,” by Rain S.

Honorable Mention: “Tiananmen Square,” by Yinying C.

Group Documentary

First Place: “From Class to Court: How Lau v. Nichols Reaffirmed the Right to Equitable Education,” by Corinne X., Eoin D. and Owen K.

Second Place: “Pauli Murray,” by Howard S. and Cavance S.

Third Place: “The History of Stereotypes,” by Razisah F. and Lundyn H.

Honorable Mention: “From Exclusion to resilience: The Vietnam War, the Chinese Exclusion Act, and their Lasting Effects on Asian Americans,” by Jaden C., Jet D., William L., Tryo-Kyle T., Xian Zheng Y.

Individual Performance

• First Place: “The First Nazi Book-Burning: The Erasure of Rights and the Responsibility to Protect Them,” by Flare Cadburry

Group Performance

• First Place: “‘A Fate Worse than Death’: How the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act Defined Patients’ Rights and Doctors’ Responsibilities,” by Amaliya K., Taylor S., and Jessica J.
• Second Place: “Girl Talk,” by Vivenne P., Regan B., Lily M., Bailey H., and Hudson T.

Individual Website

• First Place: “‘A’ as in Auschwitz, ‘B’ as in Biafra”: How a Country Accused of Genocide Revolutionized Civilian Rights,” by Halimah F.
• Second Place: “Silence and Struggle: The Enduring Impact of 228,” by Vivian G.
• Third Place: “False Hope, Broken Lives: How the Neglect of Governmental Responsibilities Harmed Residents of Bronzeville,” by Carnilla Igusti A.

Group Website

First Place:  “‘A Nazi Built My Spaceship?!’: How Operation Paperclip Bent the Truth to Reach the Stars,” by Daniella L. and Giulia S.

Second Place: “Holmesburg Prison Experiments: How the Responsibilities of Doctors and Rights of Test Subjects Advanced Protections and Oversight in Human Experimentation,” by Jason C. and Eric Y.

Third Place: “Labor Unions During the Industrial Revolution: The Significance of Fighting Together,” by Isabel B., Yimeng C., Kevin G., William W., and Amy S.

Honorable Mention: “Women’s Suffrage: How Activism Changed Everything,” by Maya B. and Lily W.

Paper

First Place: “Rights, Responsibilities, and Repression: Fred Hampton, Bill O’Neal, and the FBI’s War on Activism,” by Amanda K.

Second Place: “ “From Black Codes to Bills: How the Mulford Act Impacted the Gun Rights of Black Californians,” by Fatima N.

Third Place: “The Troubles and Rose Dugdale,” by Margaux D.

Honorable Mention: “The Draft Riots of 1863: A Clash of Rights and Responsibilities,” by Ephesian W.

Individual Exhibit

First Place: “From Black Bottom to University City: How the University of Pennsylvania’s Urban Revitalization Transformed West Philadelphia,” by Bruno B.

Second Place: “The Zoot Suit Riots,” by Emmanuel R.

Third Place: “19th Amendment: Responsible for Women’s Rights,” by Adden N.

Honorable Mention: “Schenck v. United States,” by Nooren K.

Group Exhibit

First Place: “Creating the Asian American: The Movement that Turned ‘Yellow Peril” into Yellow Power,'” by Jessica Z., Kara W., and Cameron Z.

Second Place: “The Chinese Exclusion Act,” by Dionne H. and Ronnie C.

Third Place: “Identity and the Fragility of Freedom,” by Anahi H. and Qian L.

Honorable Mention: “Women Suffering During Suffrage,” by Maya W., Dontae E., Elaina A., Ariella S., and Jaden G.

THE PENNSYLVANIA ABOLITION SOCIETY sponsored two Special Prizes for NHD Philly 2025, one in the Junior Division and one in the Senior Division. In celebration of the PAS’ 250th anniversary, these prizes recognized projects that captured the spirit of the PAS’ historic and current mission, as well as utilized the PAS Papers as part of a successful National History Day project.

2025 was also the inaugural year for the V. CHAPMAN SMITH PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE. This award is named in honor of V. Chapman Smith, who is a National History Day Philadelphia warrior, stewarding the program from its re-establishment in 2004 from her position as Regional Administrator for the National Archives Mid-Atlantic Region. In that role, she built alliances and partnerships that extended the National Archive’s capacity and supported the region’s cultural community to improve education outcomes. In honor of this incredible work and a lifetime of service, this award is given to the best Senior division project in any category.