Iowa students take top honors at National History Day national contest

Jun 22, 2022

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs today announced that two Iowa students took top honors at the National History Day national finals held online last week.

Sarah Tilberg of Le Mars Middle School and Caleb Sinnwell of Nashua-Plainfield High School each took first in the nation in their respective categories. Tilberg took top honors for her exhibit, "A Ray of Compassion: Debate and Diplomacy of the Indochinese Refugees," while Sinnwell won for his website, "Khrushchev, Corn, and Cold War Diplomacy: Garst Grows Relations with Russia One Ear at a Time."

In addition, Melissa Fairbanks, Reegan McKee, Nathan Schoenfelder and Peyton Small of Akron-Westfield Middle School won third place for their documentary, "'Tell Me and I May Forget; Show Me and I May Not Remember; Involve Me and I Will Understand': The Story of the Osage." Their project was also featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Documentary Showcase.

Fifteen more Iowa students received special recognition this year in the program, which is coordinated in Iowa by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

In all, more than half a million middle and high school students around the world research, develop and present papers, exhibits, documentaries, websites and performances about historical topics related to an annual theme. This year’s theme was “Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences.”

"The National History Day program gives students an opportunity not only to research and learn about history, it also helps them develop skills that will serve them throughout their lives,” State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Susan Kloewer said. “Congratulations to all of our Iowa students for their outstanding work, and thank you to their families and teachers for their support.”

“Iowans can be very proud of this year’s group of students,” National History Day in Iowa Coordinator Hanna Howard said. “They went up against nearly 3,000 other students from around the world and represented Iowa very well in the face of some stiff competition.”

Overall, Iowa sent 70 students from 24 different schools to the national finals this year. The 70 students emerged from a total of 474 competitors in the National History Day in Iowa state contest at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Here are the students who earned top honors and special awards at the national contest:

School
Student(s)
Project title
Division and category
Rank/award
Teacher

National Medalists

Akron-Westfield Middle School
Melissa Fairbanks, Reegan McKee, Nathan Schoenfelder and Peyton Small
"‘Tell Me and I May Forget; Show Me and I May Not Remember; Involve Me and I Will Understand’: The Story of the Osage”
Junior Group Documentary
3rd Place
Val Philips

Le Mars Middle School
Sarah Tilberg
“A Ray of Compassion: Debate and Diplomacy of the Indochinese Refugees”
Junior Individual Exhibit
1st Place
Kathi Oetken

Nashua-Plainfield Junior/Senior High School
Caleb Sinnwell
“Khrushchev, Corn, and Cold War Diplomacy: Garst Grows Relations with Russia One Ear at a Time”
Senior Individual Website
1st Place
Suzy Turner

National Finalists

Bettendorf Middle School
Lilah Rasche and Lucy Wolf
“Failed Diplomacy in the Black Hills: The Ongoing Debate for the Sioux Nation's Sacred Land”
Junior Group Documentary
Deb Temperly

Nashua-Plainfield Junior/Senior High School
Elexa O’Neill
“Herbert Hoover: Humanitarian Hero Halts Hunger Through Food Diplomacy”
Junior Historical Paper
Suzy Turner

Nevada Middle School
Lillian Frideres
“Vietnamese Refugees in Iowa: Ray's Humanitarian and Controversial Relocation”
Junior Individual Website
Randy Davis

St. Benedict Catholic School
Vivian Searcy
“Dorothea Dix: How Debate and Diplomacy Changed the Treatment of Mental Health Patients Forever”
Junior Individual Performance
Patty Lien

Special Awards

Nashua-Plainfield Junior/Senior High School
Paige Franzen, Kadence Huck and Callahan Levi
“Out of Their Chairs and Up the Stairs: ADA Now!”
Senior Group Documentary
E Pluribus Unum in History Award
Suzy Turner

Nevada Middle School
Lillian Frideres
“Vietnamese Refugees in Iowa: Ray's Humanitarian and Controversial Relocation”
Junior Individual Website
Asian American History Award
Randy Davis

Virtual Showcase Selections

Marshalltown High School
Yessenia Alvarez Zamora and Leticia Herrera
“La Huelga: The Struggle That Earned Farm Workers Rights”
Senior Group Exhibit
Smithsonian National Museum of American History Exhibit Showcase
Susan Fritzell

Nashua-Plainfield Junior/Senior High School
Elexa O’Neill
“Herbert Hoover: Humanitarian Hero Halts Hunger Through Food Diplomacy”
Junior Historical Paper
White House Historical Association Paper Showcase
Suzy Turner

Outstanding Entries

Bettendorf Middle School
Lilah Rasche and Lucy Wolf
“Failed Diplomacy in the Black Hills: The Ongoing Debate for the Sioux Nation's Sacred Land”
Junior Group Documentary
Outstanding Entry
Deb Temperly

Okoboji High School
Aubry Knudtson, Liam Knudtson, Carter Lambert, Maddison Lambert and Gauge Reyes
“Amica Mea, Te Amo: The Fall of the Roman Republic”
Senior Group Performance
Outstanding Entry
Linnea Lambert

The National History Day in Iowa program has been coordinated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, since 1994 and is sponsored by the State Historical Society, Inc.; A More Perfect Union by the National Endowment for the Humanities; and Bravo Greater Des Moines.

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and its divisions – the State Historical Society of Iowa, including the State Historic Preservation Office; the Iowa Arts Council; the interim Iowa Humanities Council; and Produce Iowa, the state office of media production – empower Iowans to build and sustain culturally vibrant communities by connecting to the people, places and points of pride that define our state.