2025 Winners
Regional Winners
2025 Special Award Winners - NHDC State Contest
Most Creative Exhibit -
Student: Aubrey Milburn & Chloe Osborn
Division: Junior Group Exhibit
Student: Sarah Beck
Division: Senior Individual Exhibit
Best Use of Library of Congress Resources
Student: Katryna Biegler
Division: Senior Individual Website
Best Project on Indigenous History in Colorado
Student: Grace Beltran
Division: Senior Paper
Molly Brown Award
Student: Ellie Hsu
Division: Senior Individual Performance
Student: Danielle Biegen & Lily Cross
Division: Junior Group Exhibit
Best Project Honoring a Veteran
Student: Irah Maltsberger, Kendall McGee, & Tia Nardin
Division: Junior Group Performance
Best Project on Colorado's Chicano Movement
Student: Mario Guereca & Taylor Seemiller
Division: Senior Group Exhibit
Best Project on Colorado's Granada Relocation Center
Student: Charlie Meza, Tiffany Escobar Apodara
Division: Junior Group Exhibit
Best Project on Colorado's African American Communities
Student: Johann Kolhoff
Division: Senior Individual Exhibit
Dr. Ed Crowther Collegiate Opportunity Scholarship
Student: Karoline McKinney
National Champions & Final Rounds Qualifiers
Student(s) Name: Claire Miley
School: Orchard Mesa Middle School
Teacher: Lisa Beltran
Grade: 8
Title of Project: Our Responsibility to Remember: The Herero and Nama Genocide of the early 20th Century
Category: Individual Website
Award: National Honorable Mention
Student(s) Name: Ingrid Merkner, Katie Figueroa, Lola Kinsella
School: Denver School of the Arts
Teacher: Chris Merkner
Grade: 11
Title of Project: Tailored to Rebel: The Zoot Suit Riot
Category: Senior Division
Award: Outstanding Award for Latino American History, sponsored by the National Parks & National Finalists
Student(s) Name: Violeta Benchwick
School: Skinner Middle School
Teacher: Mr. Alan
Grade: 8
Title of Project: How the Tutsi Human Rights were violated and the international community let it happen
Category: Junior Individual Documentary
Award: National Finalist
Student(s) Name: Madeline Palomares
School: Independence Academy- Grand Junction
Teacher: Brandon Stanfield
Grade: 8
Title of Project: The Chavez Ravine to Dodgers Stadium: The Government's Rights and Responsibilities When Using Eminent Domain
Category: Junior Individual Performance
Award: Chronicling America Historian White Ribbon & Smithsonian Museum Performance Showcase Nominee
Student Name: Zoe Wang
School: Fairview High School
Teacher: Sean Costello
Grade: 10
Title: Magna est Veritas et Praevalet - “Great is the Truth and it Prevails:” One Man(n)'s Responsibility to Establish the Right to Universal, Public Education
Category: Senior Group Website
Award: National Finalist
Student(s) Name: Aleksander Mitchell and Mason Owen
School: Stargate Charter School
Teacher: Jacquie Dick and David DeFord
Grade: 11
Title of Project: The Burning of the Ballot: Chile’s Turbulent Experience with Freedom and Oppression
Category: Senior Group Website
Award: Honorable Mention
Student(s) Name: Mia Keller
School: Southern Hills Middle School
Teacher: Zach Crandall and Jeff Sanders
Grade: 8
Title of Project: When Safety Became Law: How the Triangle Fire and the 1911 Factory Investigating Commission Shaped Modern Views on Worker Rights
Category: Junior Paper
Award: National Finalist
Student Name: Elias Wright
School: The Vanguard School
Teacher: Mr. Bradley White
Grade: 8
Title of Project: Wolf Wars and the Endangered Species Act
Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
Award: National Honorable Mention
Name: Darija Spasikj
School: Summit Middle Charter School
Teacher: Anna Royal
Grade: 8
Title of Project: Kiro Gligorov and Macedonia: A Leader’s Responsibilities, the Citizen’s Rights, and a Country’s Independence
Category: Junior Paper
Award: National Honorable Mention
Name: Madeleine Davis
School: Orchard Mesa Middle School
Teacher: Lisa Beltran
Grade: 8
Title of Project: Mary W. Jackson: How NASA's First Female Black Engineer Advocated for the Rights of Her Female Peers
Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
Award: Smithsonian of American History Exhibit Showcase Nominee
Student(s) Name: Eleanore Petersen & Coco Richstone
School: Escalante Middle School
Teacher: Tad Johnson
Grade: 7
Title of Project: Fort Lewis: An Indian Boarding School
Category: Junior Group Exhibit
Award: National Finalist
Volunteer of the Year Award Winners
2025 -- Rob Sanchez
2024 -- Gregory Jones-Albrecht
2023 -- Dr. Pam Laird & Dr. Myra Rich
2022 -- Susan Barrett
2021 -- Jody Georgeson
2020 -- Optimist Club of Monaco South
State Teacher of the Year Winners
2025
Junior-- Anna Royal
2024
Junior -- Zach Crandall
Senior -- Kirsten Schuman
2023
Junior-- Kris Casey
Senior-- Raluca Liles
2022
Junior--Jamie Adams-Granato
2021
Junior--Gail Scobee
Senior--Ed Glassman
2020
Junior--John Hise
Senior--Sarah Paulin
2019
Junior--Lesley Meyer
Senior--Ted Goodwin
2018
Junior--Roberto Javier
Senior--Kelly Cvanciger
2017
Senior--Michelle Erickson
2016
Junior--Ian Jentz
Senior--Casey Clay
2015
Junior--Holly Spurlin
Senior--Sheila Sloan
2014
Junior--Elizabeth Milligan
Senior--Kristin Lewis
2012
Barbara Allen
NHD National Teacher of the Year