(Peru, Neb.) Twelve area high school students took top honors at Peru State College’s (PSC) 25th Annual District History Day Contest recently, each walking away with $500 “Tested for Excellence” tuition scholarships to PSC. This year’s theme for the competition was “The Individual in History.”

Around 250 students from 17 area junior and senior high schools participated in the competition, including Conestoga Junior/Senior High School, Louisville Middle School, Saint John the Baptist School (Plattsmouth), Plattsmouth Middle School, Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Middle/High Schools, Johnson-Brock Public Schools, Johnson County Central High School, Pine Hill Christian School, Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer - Unified School District #7, Lourdes Central Catholic High School and Lourdes Central Catholic Middle School (Nebraska City), Nebraska City Middle School, Nebraska City High School and Auburn Middle School.

Students exhibited their research in one of five categories: paper, performance, documentary, exhibit or Web site. The top three winners in each entry category will be eligible for the statewide contest held at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln on April 18. The national competition will be held at the University of Maryland June 14-18.

Winners in the senior division (grades 9-12) include:

Senior Individual Exhibit

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1st Place: Elea Shaffer – Johnson-Brock Public Schools
2nd Place: Michelle Davidson – Johnson-Brock Public Schools
3rd Place: Stephanie Teten – Johnson-Brock Public Schools

Senior Group Exhibit

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1st Place: Shay Nickels and Elijah Snyder – Johnson-Brock Public Schools
2nd Place: Michala Remund and Anna Clarke – Johnson County Central High School
3rd Place: Mariah Husen and Rachel Clymer – Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School

Senior Group Performance

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1st Place: David Schaffer, Nathan Shaffer and Alex Mantooth - Johnson-Brock Public Schools

Senior Individual Performance

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1st Place: Elijah Chase - Johnson-Brock Public Schools

Senior Group Documentary

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1st Place: Anna Hotsenpillar and Logan Ehlers – Nebraska City High School

Senior Individual Historical Paper

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1st Place: Christine Ruskamp – Johnson-Brock Public Schools
2nd Place:Brett Copley – Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School
3rd Place: Samantha Scheinost - Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School

Senior Interpretative Web Site

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1st Place: Kay Fischer and Kayla Alberts – Johnson-Brock Public Schools
2nd Place: Austin Penfield – Johnson-Brock Public Schools
3rd Place: Tyler Penfield - Johnson-Brock Public Schools

Winners in the junior division (grades 6-8) include:

Junior Individual Performance

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1st Place: Grant Welsh – Lourdes Central Middle School

Junior Individual Exhibit

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1st Place: Aaron Goodman – Lourdes Central Middle School
2nd Place:Chris Kerns – St. John the Baptist Elementary
3rd Place:Dominic Richardson – Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Middle School

Junior Group Exhibit

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1st Place: Katie O’Neil and Kaylee Easter - Lourdes Central Middle School
2nd Place: Jenna Lepper, Kayla Dale and Bailey Snider – Plattsmouth Middle School
3rd Place: Emma Scaturro, Anna Thayer and Sarah Warga – St. John the Baptist Elementary

Junior Individual Documentary

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1st Place: Emily Bradley – Nebraska City Middle School
2nd Place: Loren Steinman – Nebraska City Middle School
3rd Place: Elizabeth Rice – Conestoga Junior/Senior High School

Junior Group Performance

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1st Place: Kathryn Edwards, Konner Lamb, Connor Kavulak, Andrew DeBrie and Joel White - Louisville Middle School
2nd Place: Becca Dillon, Kerrigan Flynn, Megan Knott and Samantha Lane - Louisville Middle School
3rd Place: K. Parriott and Anna Jones – Conestoga Junior/Senior High School

Junior Group Documentary

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1st Place: James O’Neil and Alyssa Hurd – Lourdes Central Middle School
2nd Place: Kaylee Sarvis, Sierra Self and Claire Uhe – Conestoga Junior/Senior High School
3rd Place: Nicholaus Anthony and Benjamin Railsback – HTRS Middle School

Junior Individual Historical Paper

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1st Place: Nicholas Behrends – Johnson-Brock Public Schools
2nd Place: Amzie Dunekacke - Johnson-Brock Public Schools
3rd Place: Heidi Rathjen – Auburn Middle School

Junior Interpretative Website

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1st Place: Laura Glynn, Anna Glynn, Aaron Anderson and Kevin Voogd - Plattsmouth Middle School
2nd Place: Beau Hottovy - Lourdes Central Middle School
3rd Place: Avery Stevenson and Aaron Zahn - Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Middle School

Other special awards include:

Arbor Lodge Award

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Carissa Carlin, Casey McNealy and Ashton Nanninga – HTRS
The award was given for the best individual entry with an environmental and/or Nebraska theme. HTRS’ Junior Group Exhibit was titled Gerald Ford.

Nebraska City Museum Association Award

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Bryce Roecker - Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Middle School
The award is presented for the best use of oral history interviews by an individual or group. Roecker’s exhibit was titled Rolland Roecker.

Peru Historical Foundation Award

Brooke Taylor, Mallory Parrish and Libbey Anderson - Auburn Middle School
The award is presented for the best entry, individual or group, focusing on an historical event/person in Nebraska. The group’s exhibit was titled John Falter.

Mayhew Cabin Award

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Noah Goodman - Lourdes Central
The award is presented for the best entry, individual or group, using the Underground Railroad as its main topic. Goodman’s exhibit was titled Harriet Tubman: Conductor to Freedom.