Duluth students receive honors at National History Day

Duluth had 8 students participate in the National History Day at the University of Maryland June 9-15.

Out of a pool of nearly a half million students, four Duluth projects were in the top 20.

Olaeze Okara received 2nd place in individual performance for “Madame CJ Walker: Braving Frontiers in African American Hair Care, Business, and Philanthropy” and Sam Phillips and Garin Hackbarth received 4th place for their group exhibit on “FDR’s Fireside Chats: A Frontier for Presidential Communication.” 

Honorable mention went to a group performance by Cici Stender and Anna Berry on “The Night Witches: A Frontier for Women in Combat Aviation” and a group exhibit by Leah Coleman and Sarah Rectenwald, “Expanding the Frontier of Climate Acton:  James Hansen’s Testimony to Congress.”

These students all attend Duluth East, with teacher Catherine Nachbar. 

Lyla Ronkainen, an 8th grader from Ordean Middle School, also qualified, with her 2500 word research paper on “Creating the World Wide Web:  A Frontier in Sharing-Information. Her teacher is  Glenn Tracey. 

Sam Phillips and Garin Hackbarth also received the Minnesota award for the Outstanding Affiliate Entry in the Senior Division.