Knights pocket national awards for American history knowledge

August 7, 2024

History proved to be a winning subject for Southeast High School students at one of the largest school-based social studies contests in the country.
 
Adam, Elijah, Jackson, Jacob, John Mark, Kyan and Lillie qualified for this summer’s National History Day (NHD) Contest. The Lincoln Public Schools students built detailed projects about a range of historical subjects and shared them with state judges this spring. Their hard work helped them advance to the national stage.
 
Jacob said the trip to the University of Maryland-College Park was full of bright moments. NHD officials provided field trips, professional development opportunities and educational activities for nearly 3,000 students and teachers.
 
“Competing at nationals was an incredible experience,” Jacob said. “It was an opportunity for our friend group to hang out for a few days across the country, something we would have never done without National History Day. Each of us enjoyed experiencing Maryland’s campus and the history of Washington, D.C.”
 
LPS K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Specialist Jaci Kellison said the Knights represented LPS well at the conference.
 
“Recognition for our U.S. history students at the national level is an outstanding accomplishment that shows not only the talent and commitment of our scholars, but also the dedication of our teachers to support and guide students through opportunities such as National History Day,” Kellison said.
 
Adam, Elijah, Jackson and Jacob beamed after they won the prestigious George Washington Leadership in History Prize. They created a nine-minute documentary entitled “The Whiskey Rebellion: A Revolt on the Western Frontier” for the senior group documentary contest.
 
Southeast social studies teacher Noa Craft said he was thrilled for the four Knights. National judges present a $1,000 prize each year to a project that demonstrates clear understanding of the ideas and events defined by George Washington’s life, leadership and legacy. They give special consideration to projects like Southeast’s that showcase innovative and compelling ways to tell Washington’s story.

 
“The boys put together a great documentary and they became great salesmen for their project,” Craft said. “At the same time, it is a rare feat for one of our projects to receive national recognition, so I was elated. The recognition was much deserved and a byproduct of the hard work they put into this project over the course of the year.”
 
“When our group won the George Washington Leadership in History Award, each of us were completely shocked,” Jacob said. “We were mostly traveling all the way to nationals for the experience, but had ruled out winning any sort of award considering the amount of students that attend every year. We were proud to be able to represent Southeast and Nebraska as a whole at a national competition.”
 
Jacob said the Knights were happy to hear reviews of their state-winning project from experienced panelists.
 
“Although we had small expectations while competing, each of us still cared and were nervous for the judging,” Jacob said. “Since we had focused on the Whiskey Rebellion for so long, it felt good to answer the judges’ questions for a final time and give our documentary a solid conclusion.”
 
Judges selected John Mark’s state-winning senior individual exhibit to be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. “The Invention of the Nuclear Bomb” joined 50 other projects during a daylong event at the museum. Craft said, to his knowledge, no other Southeast student has ever had a project displayed at the Smithsonian.
 
“I was very excited to see John Mark earn his opportunity because he worked as hard, if not harder, than any other student I had this semester,” Craft said. “He came in several times after school to get additional feedback and created a fantastic project. Getting this recognition and having the opportunity to meet other students from all around the country in the same position was much deserved for John Mark.”

 
John Mark said he enjoyed seeing the creative talent and passion for history that many students showcased at nationals. He said it was also fun to learn background details about a major turning point in American history.
 
“I’d say the most interesting part of my research on the Manhattan Project was seeing how much trial and error it took to create the bomb,” John Mark said. “From the beginning of the project, there was a massive sense of urgency because there were rumors of the Germans having a similar program. Even with this urgency and pressure, the scientists at the Manhattan Project still overcame challenge after challenge to produce a world-changing technological discovery.”
 
Kyan won first place at state in the senior individual documentary division for “Sparking the Atomic Age: The Manhattan Project and its Legacy,” and Lillie placed second in the senior historical paper category for “The Salem Witch Trials and the New American Justice System.” Craft said he was proud of their national-qualifying success.
 
“Like the other two groups, Kyan and Lillie worked very hard on their projects,” Craft said. “It is always nice to see hard work get the recognition it deserves.”
 
Kellison said current social studies activities like National History Day give students valuable ways to improve their futures.
 
“There are many opportunities like National History Day available to students,” Kellison said. “These types of activities help students take ownership of their learning, take pride in their work and apply their knowledge in unique and innovative ways.”

Watch the students' documentary below. 

 

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