Peru, Nebraska - Peru State College hosted its 39th Annual District History Day Contest. The College was the host to 100 students in the region competing for a spot at the Nebraska State History Day contest on April 1, 2023.
Individuals or groups compete in five different categories: Exhibit, Documentary, Website, Paper, and Performance. This event was back in-person for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
History Day 2023 Award Winners:
Senior Division:
Senior Group Exhibit
- 3rd Place: Isaac Brook, Peyton Grotrian, & Thomas Gerdes, “The Homestead Act”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
- 2nd Place: Eli Groth & Kegan Vice, “The International Space Station: Breakthroughs in Space Exploration and Discoveries”
Johnson Brock Public Schools
- 1st Place: Lleyton Behrends, Rowen Benham, & Zac Hawley, “Ethanol: Creating a Frontier for Renewable Energy in the U.S.”
Johnson Brock Public Schools
Senior Group Performance
- 1st Place: Johannah Bohling, Kinsley Oestmann, Laney Knippelmeyer, & Trinity Grant, “The Matchstick Girls”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
Senior Group Website
- 1st Place: Hannah Groth & Rylie Beethe, “Bessie Coleman: Defeating Adversity to Create Frontiers in History”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
Junior Division:
Junior Individual Exhibit
- 4th Place: Clayton Bantz, “The Most Iconic Landmark in Puerto Rice—Fort Morro
Lourdes Central Catholic School
- 3rd Place: Justus Kreifels, "Shorthorn Cattle: Red, White, and Roan”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
- 2nd Place: Cyrus Monson, “The Kings Men: The First Folio”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
- 1st Place: Hunter Lackey, “The beeps that built America”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
Junior Group Exhibit
- 4th Place: Aaaron Alvarado & Auggie Bruggeman, “The Vessel That Changed Maritime Safety”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
- 3rd Place: Dominic Schizas & Joseph Roberts, “The Wright Brothers”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
- 2nd Place: Alayna Helms & Layla Miller, “Two Men, A Boat, and a Mission”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
- 1st Place: Coy Behrends & Noah Metschke, “Dr. Morani Strives for Woman Rights as the First Female Plastic Surgeon”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
Junior Individual Performance
- 1st Place: Amelia Liscomb, “The Oregon Trail: a story of survival”
Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Public Schools
Junior Group Performance
- 3rd Place: Keegan Damme, Kendean Bahr, Luke Kuenning, & Oliver Eylar, “French Revolution”
Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Public Schools
- 2nd Place: Addison Volker, Leighton Edwards, & Marleigh Behrends, “Apollo 11”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
- 1st Place: Kendall Jeanneret & Mia Benight, “The Coffins Rescue”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
Junior Individual Website
- 2nd Place: Will Simon, “Farm Machinery”
Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Public Schools
- 1st Place: Vivian Gerdes, “James Beckwourth: The Bloody Arm of the Frontier”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
Junior Group Website
- 3rd Place: Baker Beethe, Landon Ideus, & Luke Fulton, “Buffalo Bill Cody: How the Wild West Got Its Name”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
- 2nd Place: Brayden Holthus & Calvin Benham, “Roundup Ready Soybeans”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
- 1st Place: Quentin Behrends & Tate Hawley, “Apollo 11: The First Lunar Landing”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
Junior Individual Documentary
- 1st Place: Lillian Madison, “C-sections: A New Frontier in Women’s Health”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
Junior Group Documentary
- 3rd Place: Daniel Baustian & Oliver McIntosh, “Frontier of Tanks”
Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Public Schools
- 2nd Place: Mary Bruggeman & Miesha Oggs, “The Life of Lucretia Mott”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
- 1st Place: Caleb Bohling & Tyler Parriot, “Frontiers in History: The Jet Engine”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
Junior Individual Paper
- 2nd Place: Wyatt Fulton, “Jackie Roosevelt Robinson: Pioneer Towards Racial Equality in Sports”
Johnson-Brock Public Schools
- 1st Place: Harper Rutt, “Hedy Lamarr: Frequency Hopping System”
Lourdes Central Catholic School
Special Awards:
- The Arbor Lodge Award: Abigail Blomstedt, “Virginia Dodd Smith: Nebraska’s First Congresswoman” (Johnson-Brock)
- The Homestead National Historical Park Special Award: Amelia Liscomb, “The Oregon Trail: A Story of Survival” (Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca)
- The Michelle A. Broady Award For Extraordinary Determination: Kane Gates, “Disability Rights Movement” (Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca)
- The Nebraska City Museum Association Award: Severin Stukenholtz, “Freighters of the Frontier” (Lourdes Central Catholic School)
- Peru Historical Foundation Award: Craig Anthony, “Westward Expansion: Omaha Stockyards” (Johnson-Brock Public Schools)
- The Kregel Windmill Museum Award: Will Simon, “Farm Machinery” (Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca)
- ‘We Proceed On’ Special Award (Sponsored by the Lewis & Clark Center): Amelia Liscomb, “The Oregon Trail: A Story of Survival” (Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca)
Participating Teachers:
- Johnson-Brock:
Mitch Roberts
Dan Gossman
Brett Davis
- Lourdes Central:
Wendi Buggi
Beth-Box
Parker Trumble
Julia Pichler
- Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca:
Sarah Burr
Megan Pitrat
###