SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Of the 65 Indiana students selected to represent the state at the 2025 National History Day (NHD) National Contest, 19 are from right here in Michiana.

"These students were selected from a pool of nearly 400 participants in the 2025 National History Day in Indiana State Contest, demonstrating exceptional research, creativity, and historical analysis in their projects," officials said.

"Each student advanced through a series of regional and state-level competitions before earning their place at the national level."

The event will be held next week, from June 8-12, at the University of Maryland, College Park.

"Now in its 51st year, the National History Day program challenges students in grades 4 through 12 to conduct original historical research and present their findings through one of five formats: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website," organizers said.

"Nearly 3,000 students from across the United States and international schools are expected to take part in this year’s week-long national contest."

The National Contest represents the final stage of a rigorous academic program designed to inspire curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of history among young learners.

Local students going to the 2025 National History Day National Contest:

Elkhart County Schools
Junior Group Performance

• “Musicians of Civil Rights” – Aneri Mehta, Ania Berkshire, Aubrey Burmeister, Brenda Martinez (West Side Middle School)

Junior Individual Exhibit

• “Dorothea Dix and the Asylum Movement” – Paige Miller (West Side Middle School)

Fulton County Schools
Junior Group Exhibit

• “Jim Crow Literacy Tests” – Brie Scott, Jacob Hayes, Makayla Murphy (Tippecanoe Valley Middle School)

Marshall County Schools
Senior Paper

• “Rights, Responsibilities, and the Legacy of Napalm in the Vietnam War” – Audrey Su (Culver Academies)
• “States’ Rights and National Responsibilities Within the Nullification Crisis” – King Lok Wang (Culver Academies)

Senior Group Documentary

• “Gates Unopened: The Enduring Impact of Chinese Exclusion Laws, Its Resistance, and Its Legacy” – Zechen Guo, Zixin Su (Culver Academies)

St. Joseph County Schools
Junior Paper

• “The Bonus Army March of 1932: A Fight of Determination, Unity, and to Uphold One’s Responsibilities” – Abhijay Masetty (Discovery Middle School)

Junior Group Website

• “William Penn” – Charlie Meyers, Tanner Tomczak, Wyatt Dainty (St. Anthony de Padua)

Junior Individual Performance

• “The Queens, New York Newsboys’ Strike of 1899 and How the Newsies Stood Up for Their Rights” – Abigail Franklin (John J. Young Middle School)

Junior Individual Website

• “The Second Sino-Japanese War and the American Responsibility to Intervene” – Owen Burns (John J. Young Middle School)

Junior Individual Exhibit

• “The Salem Witch Trials” – Chloe Montgomery (John J. Young Middle School)