2025 Special Prize Winners

African American Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: The Jensen Family)

Brielle Charles, Janiyah Talabert, Mckenzie Vickers,
Sarai Pascal
A Journey Through History: A Fight for Freedom
FAU/SLCSD Palm Pointe Educational Research
School @ Tradition
Teacher: Melanie Larsen

American History Innovation Award
(Sponsored by: In memory of Norman Schroeder)

Varnika Sinha
The Disney Strike of 1941: The Fight for Disney
Animators' Rights
Charles S. Rushe Middle School
Teacher: Cheryl Skaggs

American Revolution Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: Florida Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, Inc.)

Krithika Senthilnathan, Yssabella Lagunero-Lumayno
The Daughters of Liberty: Women's Fight for the Patriotic
Cause during the American Revolution
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
Teacher: Deborah Tregler

Best Use of Primary Sources: Junior Division
(Sponsored by: Society of Florida Archivists)

      Dhruv Patel
      DuPont vs. The People: The Fight Against Teflon Toxicity
      American Heritage School - Palm Beach Campus
      Teacher: Riley Sarkela

Best Use of Primary Sources: Senior Division
(Sponsored by: Society of Florida Archivists)

Shaoxuan Ma
Henrietta Lacks’s Influence on the Rights and
Responsibilities of Medical Research
Lawton Chiles High School
Teacher: Wes Singletary

Celebrate Freedom Award
(Sponsored by: James Madison Institute)

Catherine Rodriguez
Mendez v. Westminster: Defining Civil Rights and
Responsibilities in Education
Bay High School
Teacher: Jordan Phelps

Colonial Americas Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: Florida Council for History Education)

Eliza Stott
The Fugio Coin: The First Coin of the United States
Pasco Middle School
Teacher: Lizette Perez

Economic Freedom Award
(Sponsored by: James Madison Institute)

Edwin Connor, Wyatt Aung
20 Years of Peace
Ponte Vedra High School
Teacher: Laura Wynn

Florida Archival Research Award
(Sponsored by: State Archives of Florida)

        Amanda Ochoa, Karina Otero, Raphaella Villa
        A Century of Atrocities : The Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys
        Calvary Christian Academy
        Teacher: Sharon Low

Florida Digital History Award
(Sponsored by: State Archives of Florida)

Olivia Scopac
Vietnam Above the Treetops
Okaloosa Stemm Center
Teacher: Andrew Adams

Florida Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: Florida Historical Society)

Ritika Balwalli
Revisiting Gideon: The People’s Right and Government’s
Responsibility To An Adequate Lawyer
Seminole High School
Teacher: Adam Carpenter

Florida Historic Preservation Award
(Sponsored by: Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources)

       Aarush Sarup, Carter Brillant, Ethan Salaza
       Marjorie Harris Carr and the cross-Florida Barge Canal:
       A responsibility to save a river
       Milwee Middle School
       Teacher: Jessica Day

Frederick Cubberly Florida History Award
(Sponsored by: Florida Historical Society

       Hannah Moore
       Operation Pedro Pan: Cuban Parents’ Responsibility in
       Saving Countless Children’s Rights and Freedom
       Dunedin Highland Middle School
       Teacher: Teresa Bergstrom

Hispanic Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: Florida Council for History Education)

Hannah Moore
Operation Pedro Pan: Cuban Parents’ Responsibility in
Saving Countless Children’s Rights and Freedom 
Dunedin Highland Middle School
Teacher: Teresa Bergstrom

Holocaust Education Award

        Elsa Kabashi
        Besa - Rights and Responsibilities of Honoring an
        Ancient Oath
        Palm Harbor University High School
        Teacher: Andreas Mandelos

Military Heritage Award

Arnesh Mohanty, Kavin Prasad Vijayakumar
The Battle of Blair Mountain: A Fight for Rights and
Responsibilities
Sanford Middle School
Teacher: Michael Travis

Native American Heritage Award

        Divya Bhatt
        Rights & Responsibilities: The Impact of the Pequot War
        University Academy Sable Inc
        Teacher: Dianne Johnston

Science Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: Tallahassee Scientific Society)

Nicole Huynh
Premarin: An Ethical Dilemma Facing Pharmaceutical
Manufacturing
Wiregrass Ranch High School
Teacher: Marlene Freiser

Sports Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: Specialty Sportswear and Promotions, Inc.)

Atticus Schepper, Jeffery McCarthy, Troi Robbins
The Fight for Rights
Creative Learning Academy
Teacher: Izzy Berman

Women’s Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: In memory of Norma Wasmuth)

Aurora Preston
The Night Witches: How Soviet Women Pursued Their
Responsibility To Defend Their Country
Okaloosa Stemm Center
Teacher: Andrew Adams

World War II Heritage Award
(Sponsored by: Florida State University’s Institute for World War II and the Human Experience)

Ahlaya Rolle
Where is our Mail? "The Six Triple Eight"
South Fork High School
Teacher: Natalie Williams