Monetary awards for National History Day Arizona students 2026

Congratulations to all NHDAZ special award winners!

Special Awards 2026

This list entails all of the special awards winners from the NHD State Competition of 2026.

Special awards do not have anything to do with advancing to nationals. Special awards are sponsored by organizations, institutions, or individuals who want to recognize outstanding projects that relate to a specific topic, theme, group, or historical contribution. Each special award includes a monetary prize. Congratulations to all special awards winners!

Best African American History Awards sponsored by the African American Museum of Southern Arizona - $150

1.Junior Paper - Ruby Bridges; A Child Pioneer of Integration

Senior Individual Website - Revolutionizing Education: The Freedom Schools of the Civil Rights Movement by Ethan Tsay

 

AZ Historical Society Award for Equality in History - $150

2.Junior Individual Website - Braille: The Unseen Revolution

3.Senior Group Performance - Chinese Immigration in America

AZ Historical Society Award for Woman’s History - $150

4.Junior Group Documentary - Equality Denied: The Success of the 19th Amendment and Failure of the Equal RIghts Amendment

5.Senior Paper - Sybil Ludington and the Construction of American Patriotism

Best in Western United States History sponsored by the BYU Redd Center - $100

6. Junior Individual Documentary - Not Told Enough History: The Bisbee Deportation of1917

Senior Individual Website - The Delano Grape Boycott: Farmworker Revolution Leading to Reform by Aaron Senthikumar

Weiss Family Historic Places & Spaces Award - $100

Junior Group Website - Built on Speed and Soil; How McDonald's Transformed the Fast Food Industry by Adrish Gande, Owen Yin

Senior Individual Exhibit - Thanks to J.D.C Atkinson, My Language Is Dying by Tanae Lupe

The Roe Family Best Arizona History Entry - $200

7. Junior Individual Exhibit - When the River Turned Red- The Legacy of Camp Grant

8.Senior Group Documentary - Viva Libertad: Revolution Against Spanish Rule

Best Government History sponsored by Stephanie Mann - $50

Senior Paper -“The Endless Frontier”: How Atomic Revolution, Reaction, and Reform Gave Us Our Current System of Public Investment in Science by Ira Parsons

Best Entry for an Arizona Family History or Ethnic History sponsored by the Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board - $100

Senior Individual Exhibit - Thanks to J.D.C Atkinson, My Language Is Dying by Tanae Lupe

Best Use of Archives sponsored by the Arizona Archives Alliance - $150

Sr Group Documentary - Judith Heumann: Trailblazer of the Disability Rights Revolution by Thanvi Voruganti, Dorothy Zhou

9. Jr Documentary - The Bisbee Deportation

Best Use of Oral History sponsored by the Southwest Oral History Association - $100

10. Senior Group Exhibit - Native boarding schools

Diana Smith Award for Excellence - $150

Junior Paper - The Indonesian National Revolution and Its Impact on the World by Aryapadi Hariadi

Senior Paper - “The Endless Frontier”: How Atomic Revolution, Reaction, and Reform Gave Us Our Current System of Public Investment in Science by Ira Parsons

Barbara Lewis Award sponsored by Grant Trepanier - $160

Junior Individual Performance - From Conservatory to Cotton Club by Nathan Davies-Venn

Arizona Story of Arizona Historymaker sponsored by the Historical League - $150

Junior Individual Documentary - The Cool Revolution: How Air Conditioning Reformed The Valley of the Sun into a Habitable Metropolis by Mathew Davies-Venn

Senior Individual Exhibit - Thanks to J.D.C Atkinson, My Language Is Dying by Tanae Lupe

Jim Rex Memorial Award (For Youth Division Participants Only) - $20

Youth Group Documentary - The Smallpox and the Anti-Vax Leagues in England

Youth Group Exhibit - Running Against the World

Youth Group Documentary - Browder v. Gayle: The Four Women Who Fought Back

Youth Group Website - Banditen! Jewish Partisan Resistance During the Holocaust by Graydon Lilly Cohen and Maxwell Martin

Youth Individual Exhibit - Hello Girls

Youth Individual Website - March of Bread and Roses: A Child's Tale

Youth Paper - Too Unfit for a Slave?

Flashback to Friday 1915

 Flashback to 1915 Friday! 

The old plank road circa 1915 that allowed automobiles to traverse the Algodones sand dunes in Imperial County, CA connecting Yuma to San Diego. This photo shows a Studebaker on the first plank road carrying passengers to Holtville, CA from Yuma.

From Arizona Historical Society.

Photo Identifier - PC1000_42039— with Clarence Ratcliff.

Grand Canyon History

On Labor Day 1971, two professors from Northern Arizona University conducted a study of the noise level at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. At that time, air traffic was allowed to fly over the area. "Noise levels at this once tranquil vacation spot now rival levels on a busy downtown street."

The peak at times was 90 decibels. The tests were performed on the South Rim, near Phantom Ranch, and along two inner canyon trails. "Researches said there was no time, from dawn to dusk when they did not hear the sound of an aircraft flying over the canyon."

Thanks to Grand Canyon Historical Society for this history.

Kristen Rex at Library and Archives, Arizona History Museum in Tucson

Kristen Rex views the treasure trove of knowledge at Library and Archives, Arizona History Museum, after an epic transfer from Pioneer Museum in Flagstaff. As AHS Education Director, she knows there is a world of rich Arizona history to be found in those stacks.

National History Day Arizona students can be directed to this valuable resource.

The 28th Annual Prescott Indian Art Market Sept 19-20, 2026

 The 28th Annual Prescott Indian Art Market is just around the corner!

Join us Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, 2026, for two days celebrating Native American art, culture, music, performances, demonstrations, and more at Sharlot Hall Museum.

PIAM features more than 80 top Native artists in this juried fine arts market, showcasing an incredible variety of work, from oil painting and beadwork to pottery and weaving. Experience Native American culture in a unique and meaningful way while supporting Indigenous artists and celebrating their creativity and traditions.

Admission is $15 for non-members. Sharlot Hall Museum members and children under 9 are free.

Mark your calendar and join us for a weekend of art, culture, and connection!

NHDAZ topic The Cool Revolution: How Air Conditioning Reformed the Valley of the Sun into a Habitable Metropolis

 

Did air conditioning start as early as 1902?  Leave it to 6th grader Matthew Davies-Venn to research and create a documentary about A/C for his National History Day project.

Title: The Cool Revolution: How Air Conditioning Reformed the Valley of the Sun into a Habitable Metropolis

Topic: The 1902 invention of air conditioning by Willis Carrier fundamentally

revolutionized life in Arizona, reforming the Valley of the Sun into a thriving hub for urban development and economic growth. Its introduction not only made year-round living conditions feasible but also enabled the expansion of suburban residential communities, attracted business and tourism, transforming Phoenix from a small desert outpost into one of the largest metropolitan cities in the U.S.

Why he chose the topic: I always wondered how we were able to stay cool using

technology. I was looking to do my project on Germ Theory when I stumbled upon

information that Germ Theory relates to air conditioning because AC can trap airborne pathogens by shifting the focus from simply cooling air to filtering indoor air to remove microbes, which helps patients overcome some diseases. This led me to think about how air conditioning was invented because without it, it would be extremely hard to live in my home state of Arizona. It led me to research how humans cooled themselves before air conditioning and how they were able to survive the deadly heat of the Valley of the Sun.

Seeing how creative Matthew can be with "The Cool Revolution" makes the Historical League very proud to be a sponsor of NHDAZ, a program of Arizona Historical Society. 

Healing Field Tribute for 9/11

 In memory of those who tragically lost their lives 25 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001, the Exchange Club of Tempe will present the Healing Field tribute Thursday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Sept. 13. Thousands of American flags will be placed throughout Tempe Beach Park, representing each victim. The public is invited to several events:

-Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:46 a.m. – Volunteers stand up flags. All are welcome.

-Friday, Sept. 11, 5:46 a.m. – Healing Field Tribute ceremony

-Friday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m. – Candlelight vigil

-Saturday, Sept. 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Freedom Concert

-Sunday, Sept. 13, 7:30 a.m. – Tunnel to Towers Foundation 5K run/walk (registration required).

-Monday, Sept. 14, 6 a.m. – Volunteers stand down the field. All are welcome.