After months of in-depth research, creativity, and competition, 67 students from 24 schools across North Carolina have earned their spot at the 2025 National History Day® Contest, taking place June 8–12 at the University of Maryland in College Park. They will join nearly 3,000 middle and high school students from across the globe in a celebration of historical scholarship and storytelling.
The students qualified through North Carolina History Day, a statewide program that reached more than 5,000 participants this year. Managed by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), the program encourages students to explore the past through hands-on research aligned with this year’s theme: “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” Participants chose topics that mattered to them, ranging from civil rights movements to constitutional debates, and brought them to life through exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites, and research papers.
“The most powerful part of this program is that it’s student-driven,” said Karen Ipock, State Coordinator for N.C. History Day. “Students pick topics that genuinely interest them, which sparks deep engagement and creative expression — whether that’s designing a website, writing a paper, or producing a live performance. It’s a program that brings history to life and gives students a voice in telling its stories.”
Competitions began with eight regional contests held across the state, coordinated by DNCR and local partners. Top entries advanced to the state-level contest on May 3 at UNC Greensboro, where finalists were selected to represent North Carolina at nationals.
Beyond the contest itself, several North Carolina students have also been selected for exclusive workshops and showcases in Washington, D.C., on June 11 — an added recognition of the quality and impact of their work.
• 8th grader Thanapat Lucksanapirak from Alston Ridge Middle School in Cary, N.C., will have his documentary, "The WTO: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities in Global Trade," shown in the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
• 10th grader Andrew Lar from Watauga High School in Boone, N.C., will attend a writer's workshop with the White House Historical Association for his research paper, "'Not in Our Name': The Central American Sanctuary Movement and the Struggle for Salvadoran Asylum Rights."
• 6th grader Elsie-Mae Clayton from Swain County Middle School in Bryson City, N.C., will showcase her exhibit at the National Museum of American History, "The Federal Government and the Broken Promises," about the building of Fontana Dam and the Road to Nowhere.
• 10th and 11th graders Ava Karis Renegar, Campbell Hodge, Elianna Yoder, Jonah Hardin, and Kyle Malt from Classical Scholars in Mills River, N.C., will perform their project, "Nothing About Us Without Us: How One Group of Disability Rights Activists Fought for Recognition by Forcing the Government to Accept Responsibility for Discrimination," at the National Museum of American History.
“The doors this competition opens for students are incredible,” said Ipock. “They’re not only sharing their research in some of the nation’s most prestigious museums, but also learning firsthand from historians, scholars, and museum professionals who are leaders in their fields.”
The National History Day® contest wraps up on Thursday, June 12, with a highly anticipated awards ceremony recognizing the top three entries in each category. Students will also be eligible for a range of special prizes — some up to $2,000 — for outstanding work in specific areas of historical research.
North Carolina’s impact doesn’t end with its student competitors. Two outstanding educators — Jeffrey Stanek of Holly Shelter Middle School in Castle Hayne and Emily Lemus of EDGE Academy of Health Science in Rocky Mount — are national nominees for excellence in history education. Both have been recognized for their exceptional work in the classroom, using historical inquiry to engage and inspire students. Final selections for these prestigious teaching awards will be announced during the national contest, and North Carolina is proud to have such dedicated educators in the running.
Students competing from each N.C. region include:
West: Charlie Hurwitz and Owen McAbee, Cane Creek Middle (Buncombe County); Isaiah Zebley, Gemma Edwards, and Lilly Cacawa, ArtSpace Charter (Buncombe County); Kate Huscher and Maddux Hansel, Hendersonville Middle (Henderson County); Cayden Rybicki, North Hendson High (Henderson County); Campbell Hodge, Ava Karis Renegar, Elianna Yoder, Jonah Hardin, Kyle Malt, Kathleen Godfrey, Colin Brown, David Ruland, Ezra Kushigian, Rowan Maishman, Ryan Malt, Anslee Renegar, Evie Koppin, Tybi Dugdale, and Zia Cartrett, Classical Scholars (Henderson County); Elsie-Mae Clayton, Swain County Middle (Swain County); Andrew Larsen, Watauga High (Watauga County)
Piedmont: Anisa Hasanaj, North Carolina School Of Science and Mathematics (Durham County); Elena Gale, Emma Rose Laurell, Sophia Siebert, and Zelie Polnaszek, St. Michaels Homeschool Co-op (Gaston County); Marnie Lasher, Early College at Guilford (Guilford County); Riley Gale and Woody Taylor, Woodlawn School (Iredell County); Finn McElwee and Suh Hee Shin, Chapel Hill High (Orange County); Laura Cratty and Louisa Cratty; Cratty Family Homeschool (Orange County); Thanapat Lucksanapirak, Alston Ridge Middle (Wake County); Magali Murray, Holly Springs High (Wake County); Arsema Belete, Kaana Anda-Morelli, Katelyn Kwark, Olivia Steigerwald, and Max Wagner, Pine Springs Preparatory Academy (Wake County); Catherine Kendall, Ellen Lan, and Joyce Xu, Cary Academy (Wake County)
East: Joselyn Hutson, Sadie Lankford, Scarlett Rauen, Ben Gardner, and Gavin Oplinger, Holly Shelter Middle (New Hanover County); Lyla Varnum and Abigail Blair, The International School at Gregory (New Hanover County); Lily Atwill, Anah Stough, and Kayligrace Moody, Isaac M Bear Early College High School (New Hanover County), Olivia Stetler, Wilmington Early College High (New Hanover County); Adam Politi, Jackson Renton, Rowan Forkin, and Slade Forkin, Cape Fear Academy (New Hanover County), Mariana Nieblas-Lugo, Pamlico County Middle (Pamlico), Blondge Phanor, Wayne School of Engineering (Wayne County)
Each year, more than half a million students from all 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories, and international schools take part in the National History Day® program. North Carolina’s affiliate, North Carolina History Day, is proudly administered by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and supported by the North Caroliniana Society and the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies. To learn more, visit www.dncr.nc.gov/nchistoryday.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.