MONTPELIER — Students from Addison Northwest School District (ANWSD), under the tutelage of teachers Josh Brooks and Rebecca Coffey, brought home a number of awards from this year’s Vermont History Day competition held by the Vermont Historical Society. The students were among the more than 200 students from 22 schools who submitted their Vermont History Day projects online during the week of May 3.
The projects were reviewed virtuallybyjudgingteamsoflocal historians, educators, and other professionals. Students chose topics inspired by the National History Day theme, “Breaking Barriers in History,” and created projects including exhibits, websites, dramatic performances, documentaries, and research papers.
This year the event was retooled to be virtual, and many students reimagined their work to translate to the new digital format. The ceremony commenced with a message to the students from Gov. Scott, recognizing their hard work and perseverance in continuing their participation despite new challenges. In addition to the awards for top projects in seventeen categories, four teachers won awards, and sixteen special prizes were issued.

The top two projects in each division are qualified to compete in the national competition, which will also be virtual this year.
Local awardees include:
2020 Junior Historical Paper
3rd — “Bobbi Gibb: Her Past, Her Present, Her Future,” by Isabella Romond.
Junior Individual Exhibit
3rd — “Mother Teresa: Breaking Barriers with Love,” Quincy Sabick.
Junior Group Performance
2nd — “Southwest 1380: How One Woman Proved Them Wrong,” Lila Carr and Natalie Jackman.
George F. Edmunds Memorial Prize Junior Division
“YWCA Camp Hochelaga: The 1920s to Now,” Jing Williams.
The Horace Greeley Foundation American Freedom Award

“The Robinson Family: Helping Runaway Slaves,” Holland VanderWey.
International Studies Award Junior Division
1st — “Mother Teresa: Breaking Barriers with Love,” Quincy Sabick.
Labor History Prize
“Lewis Hine: Advocate for Child Labor Reform Teachers,” Nora Nelson.
Hannah E. (Liz) MacGregor Teacher of the Year Award, SeniorDivision
Rebecca Coffey, Vergennes Union High School
The program encourages students to develop research and critical thinking skills through the study of history. Affiliated with National History Day, the Vermont History Day program is open to Vermont students in grades 5 through 12 and home study students ages 10 to 18.
To view the projects, see a complete list of winners, and watch the awards ceremony, visit vermonthistory.org/vhd-2020