NHD Teacher of the Year Dr. Rebekah West Keur

 Dr. Rebekah West Keur, a truly dedicated educator and a finalist for the prestigious National History Day (NHD) Teacher of the Year Award! Dr. West Keur has been a guiding force in the NHD program at her schools since 2018 including being the first teacher to bring the program to a large school district in Arizona, inspiring and impacting others along the way. She's had the privilege of mentoring around 700 students, helping them dive deep into history through research-centered passion projects.

"National History Day means so much to me as a scholar and an educator," Dr. West Keur shares. "This program allows all students to immerse themselves in history and historical thinking through research-centered passion projects. This offers them the opportunity to excel academically and as people."

NHD Teacher of the Year Laura Shafer

 "I am so honored to be nominated for the NHD Teacher of the Year!" Laura Shafer has been a history teacher for 21 years in Arizona. "I started getting involved in NHD in 2016, first as a judge and then by having my students compete at both the middle and high school levels. There is no other opportunity like NHD to have my students engage in historical research. My students truly become historians, diving into archives, meeting with librarians and even interviewing historical witnesses. They become experts on their topics and build confidence in their academic pursuits. Having a 12 year old create a 10 page annotated bibliography is an accomplishment in and of itself! I have students come back and compete year after year, growing in their abilities and confidence as researchers. NHD is a unique opportunity for students who love history!"

Ethan Tsay appreciative of NHD and Historical League

Congrats to NHD student Ethan Tsay on winning Best Arizona Story sponsored by Historical League; Best Western History from Charles Redd Center for Western Studies; Best Environmental History sponsored by Coalition of Environmental History.

He designed a Senior Individual Website, A Toxic Legacy: Uranium Mining in the Navajo Nation https://89080652.NHDWebCentral.org

Ethan's grateful note describes, "The most rewarding part of competing in National History Day is learning about lesser-told aspects and stories of a broader historical context. It is important to unearth the stories of underrepresented minorities to preserve the truth in history. The most stressful part is making sure to finish the project to the best of your ability within certain deadlines and time constraints. I learned how to create a historical narrative that is not only cohesive but also tells a story."

Thank you so much!

Ethan

Arizona students at Award Ceremony Parade

Teacher Stacey Trepanier, Ethan and NHD students explore Washington D.C.

Josie Pete and Cathy Shumard with Ethan at State Finals

Jessica Finnie thankful for NHD program and Historical League

My senior paper was The Responsibility of Remembrance: The Discarded Rights and Legacy of Annie Hamilton Brown." I am honored to have won the Untold Stories in History prize at Nationals. 

Thank you for the Historical League's generous sponsorship for NHDAZ. I sincerely appreciate the scholarship; attending both NHDAZ and the National NHD competition were incredible experiences! I enjoyed connecting with like-minded students who share a passion for history.  I am delighted to have attended this year. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to participate in the NHD programs.

The most rewarding part of competing in National History Day was conducting primary-source research at the National Archives, writing about a lost figure in history, and bringing an untold story to light.

The most stressful part of NHD for me was keeping within the word count of the paper while meeting the key objectives of the paper rubric. 

Over the course of participating in NHD, from Arizona to the National Level, I learned how important studying history is as a young scholar. It was amazing to find a community who shares my passion for historical research and exploring history.

Participating in NHD has been a wonderful experience that has changed my life. First-person, primary research was essential to my work. I first discovered Annie Hamilton Brown while transcribing documents for the National Archives as a Citizen Archivist. In my research, I quickly found that I was limited by what I could discover online--so I traveled across the country to the East Coast to conduct primary research in Massachusetts (where Annie Hamilton Brown lived) and Maryland. To clarify, I researched at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland; traveled to the Massachusetts Historical Society, where the Massachusetts Audubon records are held; went to Stoneham, Massachusetts, where Annie lived, and visited her gravesite; and read Annie's original will at the Judicial Archives of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. I discovered a passion for conducting historical research through this passion project. I am delighted that I was able to share Annie's untold story with a wider audience, and am honored to have represented Arizona at the national level. My work for Annie Hamilton Brown continues. It is my goal to publish Annie's untold story and have her legacy recognized today as a prominent conservationist. She was an incredible woman who deserves to be remembered today. I am sincerely grateful for Arizona's NHD program and the opportunity to participate.

 

Thank you,

Jessica Finnie

Imani Haven and Carmen Thompson made a huge impact with their NHD exhibit: MMIW

For the first time in school history, two students from Dishchii’Bikoh Community School in Cibecue represented Arizona at the 2025 National History Day competition at the University of Maryland. They didn’t bring home a trophy. Instead, they brought something more powerful: a message that couldn’t be ignored.

 https://www.wmicentral.com/news/cibecue-students-take-mmiw-crisis-to-the-national-stage/article_8ac34ce0-a373-46be-8de1-f9fd9f016a5d.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawLf6oRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFnY1o4bG5oNFJQVk4yeFpoAR7up8ySb3k3M3bmgFqu9mw4dKoRLALShDYzODBDiE1Uh1y5vTmCdtSB5nLvdg_aem_PTLpw63ccf9hoOXqjhb1FQ

NHD students Imani Haven and Carmen Thompson, Teacher/Advisor Jeron Velasco

Traveling Trunks

2025 Arizona Historymaker John W. Graham interviewed for his oral history by Carey Pena

 How do you tell your life story in two hours? Leave it to Carey Pena to know what to ask, allowing 2025 Arizona Historymaker John W. Graham to relax and share his experiences during his oral history interview. He is being honored for his Real Estate development, as well as deep and enduring Community Involvement.

The 2025 Arizona Historymakers™ Turquoise & Treasures Celebration will be held on October 25, 2025 from 3pm to early evening at Arizona Heritage Center in Papago Park, Tempe. At the celebration, a video presentation will highlight their contributions, followed by a buffet and reception with an opportunity to meet and talk to the Historymakers. Guests will be among the first to see a new exhibit featuring each of the 2025 Historymakers.

2025 Arizona Historymaker Dede Yazzie Devine oral history interview with Josie Pete

 Sharing your life story can be daunting. Leave it to Josie Pete (left) to ask the right questions of 2025 Arizona Historymaker Dede Yazzie Devine. This took palce during the oral history interview to record Dede's many accomplishments that make Arizona a better place for all of us.

The 2025 Arizona Historymakers™ Turquoise & Treasures Celebration will be held on October 25, 2025 from 3pm to early evening at Arizona Heritage Center in Papago Park, Tempe. At the celebration, a video presentation will highlight their contributions, followed by a buffet and reception with an opportunity to meet and talk to the Historymakers. Guests will be among the first to see a new exhibit featuring each of the 2025 Historymakers.

PBS News Hour highlights National History Day

National History Day Arizona helps tell the story on PBS News Hour. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6gMDB5b-3I

Interview with Cathy Gorn, Executive Director NHD

National History Day Special Honors Showcase Students

NHD News Washington D.C. SHOWCASE Special honors at Nationals for these three students:

- Ruhi Rane was chosen to showcase her junior exhibit at the National Museum of American History on June 11. Title - Pins, Needles, and Responsibilities: The ILGWU and the Fight for Workers Rights.

Historical League members were impressed with her exhibit when they attended the mentoring "Day at the Museum" sponsored by Scottsdale's Museum of the West in May. Ruhi's attention to detail was so impressive. Great use of imagery and research.

- W. Ira Parsons was selected to attend a Writers Workshop sponsored by the White House Historical Association. His senior paper was Rights Without Responsibilities: How the Framers of International Space Law Failed to Anticipate Commercialization.

Ten students (out of 2,895) were selected for a virtual paper showcase at the White House Historical Association (WHHA), covering topics related to the history of the White House or the history of the presidency. These students, along with eight additional students, were invited to attend a writers’ workshop at The People’s House: A White House Experience on June 11.

- Brad Wu showcased his first place winning senior documentary at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Title is Camp Jened: A Revolution Born in the Mountains.

Historical League members got a preview of the documentary in May at Scottsdale's Museum of the West mentoring "Day at the Museum" and we appreciate his work!

To read the full Press Release, click below:

https://nhd.org/en/2025/06/04/nhd-showcases-2025/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=national-history=

day&utm_content=2025+Pre-Contest+Newsletter

Thank you note from NHD students Adrian Piel and Owen Yin

 Adrian and Owen learn lessons in patience at National Competition NHD, described in their Thank You note to the Historical League. Words of gratitude from National History Day students are appreciated. Historical League believes in the NHDAZ program, giving over $15,000 this year.

"Thank you very much for the traveling stipend to allow us to compete in the National History Day Competition. Exploring D.C. with fellow Arizona competitors was extremely rewarding; however, waiting for the results of the competition at awards was really stressful. Through NHD, my partner and I have learned about making connections with people that we wouldn’t have met otherwise."

Thank you again,

Adrian Piel and Owen Yin (Junior Group Website, Clippers, Cuts, and Community; Barbershops as Beacons of Black Belonging)

Thank you note from NHD student Logan Figa

 Logan Figa describes the hurdles she faced with her exhibit. Words of gratitude from National History Day students are appreciated. Historical League believes in the NHDAZ program, giving over $15,000 this year.

"One of the most rewarding parts of competing in this competition was probably learning about things I didn't know existed. Not all things that happen in the world are able to reach some places. The most stressful thing was definitely the shipping process. We had gone into FedEx to ship it, and we chose the three day shipping deal. Our exhibit was supposed to get to Maryland University on a Friday, which was 2 days before our interview. However, we had to recreate our entire board because it didn't arrive until 1 hour after our interview had finished.

I learned to be prepared for anything and that you're never fully finished with something even if you think you are, there are always more ways you can improve.

My partner, Tanvi Thumma, and I, Logan Figa were in the Junior Group Exhibit category and our title was 'Title IX, a Slam Dunk in Women's History.'

Sincerely,

Logan Figa"