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

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