Thank you to everyone who made the 2025 Alaska History Day competition such a success! Sponsored by the Alaska Historical Society, this annual event highlights the hard work, creativity, and dedication of student historians across the state—and we couldn’t be prouder of what this year’s participants accomplished. Alaska History Day is the state affiliate contest for National History Day.
This year, 84 students from grades 6 through 12 submitted a total of 60 exciting projects exploring the theme “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” Students presented their research in a variety of formats, including websites, documentaries, exhibits, performances, and papers. Their topics ranged from pivotal moments in Alaska’s past to major events in world history—from ancient Greece to Australia’s Emu War of 1932!
Behind the scenes, 41 dedicated volunteer judges worked in teams to review each project. They provided thoughtful feedback and evaluated submissions based on historical quality and clarity of presentation. Their efforts helped determine award recipients and identify outstanding work for special recognition. The First and Second Place projects in each category are invited to advance to the National History Day Contest, held in June in College Park, Maryland, at the University of Maryland Campus.
We also want to extend our deepest thanks to the many teachers, parents, judges, and volunteers who supported this year’s contest. Your encouragement and commitment make this event possible and help students develop essential academic and life skills—research, analysis, writing, and project management—that will serve them well for years to come.
To every student who participated: congratulations on your achievements! We hope you take a moment to reflect on your hard work and celebrate all you’ve learned and created. You’ve made history—literally—and we can’t wait to see what you do next.
Enough chatting – here’s the results!
Division and Category Awards
🎬 Senior Group Documentary
First Place
Title: The Armenian Genocide: A People Devastated
Students: Oliver Freeman, Daron Saboundjian
City: Anchorage, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
Second Place
Title: The Injustice of Japanese-American Internment Camps
Students: Maggie Runty, Eden Rhoades, Preston Nerland, Amaya Hammatt
City: Anchorage, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
Honorable Mention
Title: The Other Side of the Mountain: The West Virginia Coal Wars of 1920–1921
Students: Shayla Mazer, Will Edwards
City: Ester, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Heather Damario
🖼️ Senior Group Exhibit
First Place
Title: Indian Boarding Schools in Alaska: The Right to Culture; The Responsibility to Heal
Students: Emma Eden, Julia Samuel, Olivia Yurkew
City: Anchorage, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
Second Place
Title: The Crack Cocaine Epidemic: A Nation’s Broken System
Students: Adom Lassey, Langston Damario
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Heather Damario
Honorable Mention
Title: The African Elephant Conservation Act
Students: Harper Willman, Carina Hamilton
City: Anchorage, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
🎭 Senior Group Performance
First Place
Title: Rights and Responsibilities of the FDA
Student: Levi Shivers
City: Anchorage, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
🌐 Senior Group Website
First Place
Title: The Lavender Scare: The Forgotten Story of How Homophobia Cost the Country
Students: Adelle Eaton, Avigayil Cohen, Sloka Inampudi
City: Anchorage, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
Second Place
Title: The Protection of Those in Need: How the ADA Affected the Country
Students: Madeleine Jones, Jillian Kline, Regan Manley, Adalya Mutini
City: Anchorage, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
Honorable Mention
Title: Tinker v. Des Moines
Students: Sungeun Han, Chloe Romerdahl
City: Girdwood, AK
School: South Anchorage High School
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
🎥 Senior Individual Documentary
First Place
Title: Wrangell Institute: Acknowledging a Dark Legacy
Student: Lydia Wies
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Heather Damario
Second Place
Title: US Government and its Japanese American Citizens
Student: Sakaia Fischer
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Heather Damario
🧾 Junior Individual Exhibit
First Place
Title: Project Chariot: The Birth of the Environmental Movement
Student: Revy Conley
School: Ryan Middle School, Fairbanks, AK
Teacher: Sean Brewer
Second Place
Title: Brown v. Board of Education
Student: Hannah Spencer
School: Ryan Middle School, Fairbanks, AK
Teacher: Sean Brewer
Honorable Mention
Title: The National American Woman Suffrage Association
Student: Anna Falke
School: Ryan Middle School, Fairbanks, AK
Teacher: Sean Brewer
🧍♀️ Senior Individual Exhibit
First Place
Title: “These Laws Must Be Changed!” The Fight For Voluntary Parenthood
Student: Stav Weiss
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Nicholas Graves
Honorable Mention
Title: Roe v Wade
Student: Sailor Waddell
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Nicholas Graves
Honorable Mention
Title: Rosie the Riveter: Redefining Women’s Work in WWII
Student: Tyler Madnick
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Heather Damario
💻 Junior Individual Website
First Place
Title: The Formerly Used Defense Sites of the Aleutian Islands: A Forgotten Responsibility and a Lost Right
Student: Natnicha Lord
City: Unalaska, AK
School: Unalaska City School District
Teacher: Dena Royal
Second Place
Title: Spanish American War: A Turning Point in American History
Student: Hannah Sophia Fernandez
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: Ryan Middle School
Teacher: Sean Brewer
💻 Senior Individual Website
First Place
Title: The United Fruit Company’s Manipulation of its Rights and the Responsibilities it Evaded with the Help of the CIA During the 1950s
Student: Crina Bivol
City: Unalaska, AK
School: Unalaska City School District
Teacher: Dena Royal
Second Place
Title: The Great Australian Emu War of 1932
Student: Gauge Colburn
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: North Pole High School
Teacher: Wade Jones
Honorable Mention
Title: Medical Wrongs vs. Patients’ Rights
Student: Naiyana Ongtooguk-Guritz
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: Effie Kokrine Charter School
Teacher: Eileen Julian
📝 Junior Paper
First Place
Title: The IRA’s Acts Against the People and Police of Ireland, 1917–21
Student: Shafi Ahmed
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: Ryan Middle School
Teacher: Sean Brewer
Honorable Mention
Title: How Does Getting Rid of the PFD Affect and Impact Alaskan Communities, and What Can We Use the Remaining PFD Money For?
Student: David Pak
City: Anchorage, AK
School: Ivorywood
Teacher: Marie Kim
📝 Senior Paper
First Place
Title: The Fourteenth Amendment: A Beacon of Equality and Justice
Student: Alyssa Roberts
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Heather Damario
Second Place
Title: When Rights Were an Enigma: Alan Turing and a Nation’s Responsibility Towards ALL of Its People
Student: Charlotte Prax
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: Effie Kokrine Charter School
Teacher: Eileen Julian
Honorable Mention
Title: The Legacy of The Black Panther Party: Their Fight Against Systemic Oppression, Government Opposition, and Police Brutality
Student: Calin Vas
City: Fairbanks, AK
School: West Valley High School
Teacher: Heather Damario
Special Awards
These awards are given for project excellence within a specific area of history or focus. These awards include a monetary prize and certificate.
Alaska History Day Special Awards
Alaska History Award
Sponsored by: Alaska Historical Society
Presented by: Alaska Historical Society
Junior Division – Individual Website
Student: Natnicha Lord
School: Unalaska City School District (UCSD), Unalaska, AK
Title: The Formerly Used Defense Sites of the Aleutian Islands: A Forgotten Responsibility and a Lost Right
Teacher: Dena Royal
Senior Division – Individual Website
Student: Naiyana Ongtooguk-Guritz
School: Effie Kokrine Charter School, Fairbanks, AK
Title: Medical Wrongs vs. Patients’ Rights
Teacher: Eileen Julian
Education in History Award
Sponsored by: PEO Chapter B
Presented by: Alaska Historical Society
Senior Division – Group Documentary
Students: Nekoya Wiehl, Sam Ongtooguk Guritz
School: Effie Kokrine Charter School, Fairbanks, AK
Title: Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945: Still Waiting for Rights 90 Years Later
Teacher: Eileen Julian
Honoring Elder Stories Award (Documentary)
Sponsored and Presented by: See Stories
Senior Division – Individual Documentary
Student: Lydia Wies
School: West Valley High School, Fairbanks, AK
Title: Wrangell Institute: Acknowledging a Dark Legacy
Teacher: Heather Damario
Peninsula Prize in Environmental History
Sponsored by: Michael Dahlberg
Junior Division – Individual Website
Student: Natnicha Lord
School: Unalaska City School District (UCSD), Unalaska, AK
Title: The Formerly Used Defense Sites of the Aleutian Islands: A Forgotten Responsibility and a Lost Right
Teacher: Dena Royal
Women in History Award
Sponsored by: An Anonymous Alaska Teacher, Anonymous
Presented by: Alaska Historical Society
Thanks to several generous donations, we were able to award two prizes this year!
Senior Division – Group Documentary
Students: Nekoya Wiehl, Sam Ongtooguk Guritz
School: Effie Kokrine Charter School, Fairbanks, AK
Title: Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945: Still Waiting for Rights 90 Years Later
Teacher: Eileen Julian
Senior Division – Group Documentary
Students: Adele Matthews, Anna Hill, Annika Haussner
School: South Anchorage High School, Anchorage, AK
Title: Calutron Girls: Shadows in the Aftermath
Teacher: Alissa Wardwell
Thank you to everyone who has worked to make Alaska History Day a success. IF you wish to support the work of Alaska History Day and the Alaska Historical Society, please visit alaskahistoricalsociety.org/membership.