Students pose for a photo while waiting to present their projects at the NHD-OC competition in Irvine on March 9. 
Three students wearing medals pose for a photo during the NHD-OC competition. 
Supporters cheer as a student is called to present during the NHD-OC competition. 
Shawn Castrapel and Max Castrapel of Sierra Vista Middle School in the Irvine Unified School District stand with Moulton Museum Executive Director Dr. Elisabeth Ida Lange during the NHD-OC awards ceremony on March 12. 
Senior division competitors pose for a photo during the NHD-OC awards ceremony.
Nearly 200 student projects exploring the theme “Rights and Responsibilities in History” were showcased during the 2025 National History Day-Orange County competition, culminating in an awards ceremony hosted by the Orange County Department of Education on March 12 at the Orange County Holocaust Education Center in Newport Beach.
This year, 327 students from 31 schools, nine school districts, one Orange County Board of Education-authorized charter school and four private schools participated in the countywide event. Of the 187 entries submitted, 74 projects earned top honors and will advance to the National History Day-California state competition, set for May 2-4 at Sacramento State University.
The annual competition challenges students in grades four through 12 to conduct in-depth historical research, analyze primary and secondary sources, and present their findings through documentaries, performances, exhibits, research papers, podcasts and websites.
“This year’s theme encouraged students to examine key moments in history through the lens of rights and responsibilities,” said Julie Hull, OCDE’s coordinator of NHD-OC. “Projects revealed how the past has shaped our understanding of rights, freedoms and duties, offering a powerful reminder of the ongoing relevance of history in our lives.”
Community-sponsored awards
Along with recognizing top projects, OCDE and its community partners honored select students with special awards for projects that exemplified their mission and vision.
Holocaust Education Center Remembrance and Education: Voice Against Darkness Documentary Award
“Recovering from Past Flaws: How the Nuremberg Trials Revolutionized Legal Proceedings”
Samashti Singh, Keyohn Lu and Eeshal Ali
Jeffrey Trail Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Moulton Museum Award
“Rights and Responsibilities: The Hetch Hetchy Dam and Its Environmental Impact”
Shawn Castrapel and Max Castrapel
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
OCC GATE Spotlight Award
Zhijie “Eric” Yang
University High School, Irvine Unified School District
Sherman Library & Gardens Award for Regional History Research
“Right to Stay: Doss v Bernal Dismantling Housing Segregation”
Poiema Bernier, Rebekah Miller, Lucas Menendez and Enoch Wu
Acaciawood Preparatory Academy
Honoring student research and historical exploration
Students who advanced from the county competition will now prepare for NHD-CA, where they will compete against top scholars from across the state.
“Every year, I’m inspired by the curiosity and passion of our NHD-OC scholars,” said Dr. Virginia Reischl, OCDE’s coordinator of Literacy and Language. “In just my second year co-coordinating with Julie, I’ve already seen the incredible growth of this program, and I’m excited to see even more schools take part in the years ahead.”
“Of course, none of this would be possible without our amazing coaches and the support of our dedicated volunteer judges,” Reischl said. “We can’t thank them enough for giving their time and creating space for students to thrive.”
The National History Day program is designed to build critical thinking, research and literacy skills, encouraging students to make connections between historical events and contemporary issues.
Winning students from the state competition in May will have the opportunity to advance to the National History Day finals, held in Maryland in June.
Without further ado, here are the OC medalists who will advance to the state finals starting May 2:
Orange County Junior Champions (grades 6-8)
Junior Individual Documentary
“Dorothea Dix: Fighting for Equal Rights and Societal Responsibilities for Mental Health Care”
Dhanista Shah
Venado Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“The People Power Revolution of the Philippines”
Adrian Dee
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“The Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast for Children”
Nicholas Soo
Venado Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Junior Group Documentary
“Ubuntu: Humanity”
Avanika Prasad and Chinmayee Srinivasan
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“The Right to Stay: Doss v. Bernal Dismantling Housing Segregation”
Poiema Bernier, Rebekah Miller, Lucas Menendez and Enoch Wu
Acaciawood Preparatory Academy
“How Cartoons Shaped the Narrative: Thomas Nast’s Fight for Rights and Responsibilities”
Seojun Baek, Anish Pashikanti and William Lin
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Junior Individual Exhibit
“The Right to Learn: Recognizing Responsibilities in Lau v. Nichols”
Yesha Gupta
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“From Catastrophe to Change: How Chernobyl Shaped Global Nuclear Rights and Responsibilities”
Olivia Park
Orange County School of the Arts
“Beyond the Frame: The Impact of Lewis Hine’s Photography on Child Labor Reform”
Rene Kwon
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Junior Group Exhibit
“The Evolution of Child Labor”
Samantha Boyer, Quinn Tawanna and Quinn Weaver
Lakeside Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“Justice Redefined at the Nuremberg Trials”
David Cha, Noah Im, Liam Kim and Ayaan Thind
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“Japanese Internment Camps: A Violation of Rights with Unfulfilled Responsibilities”
Stevie Shupe and Keely Shilling
Shorecliffs Middle School, Capistrano Unified School District
Junior Individual Performance
“Phone Booths to Smartphones: Rights and Responsibilities from Katz to the Digital Age”
Aria Yatavelli
Santiago Hills Elementary School, Irvine Unified School District
“The Hull House Legacy: Advancing Rights Through Civic Responsibility”
Therese Macatula
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“No-body Is With Me: Margaret Sanger’s Legacy of Reproductive Rights”
Abigail Yoo
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Junior Group Performance
“The Women’s Suffrage Movement of 1920”
Akshada Divyananda, Aaliya Jaffer, Greeshma Shivakumar, Belle Su and Ellison Zhao
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“Denying Rights of Newsies: How the Newsboys’ Strike of 1899 Held Publishers Responsible for Greed”
Sydney Berryman and Grace Markus
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“A Destination for Revolution: The Geneva Convention of 1949”
Hannah Groysman, Mia Hiraki and Hannah Hsiao
Santiago Hills Elementary School, Irvine Unified School District
Junior Individual Website
“The Right to the Coast: The California Coastal Commission and the State’s Environmental Responsibilities”
Penelope Pan
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“One Flame Can Spark a Fire: The Match Girls’ Strike of 1888”
Milani Doshi
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“Silent Betrayal: Unveiling the Tuskegee Syphilis Study”
Sai Kancharla
Lakeside Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Junior Group Exhibit
“Rights and Responsibilities: The Hetch Hetchy Dam and Its Environmental Impact”
Shawn Castrapel and Max Castrapel
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“The Thalidomide Tragedy: Rights of Consumers’ Healthcare and Responsibilities of the Manufacturer”
Christine Jeon and Joseph Featherstone
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“Roe v. Wade: Balancing Rights, Responsibilities, and the Fight for Choice”
Sai Sahasra Kondamadugu and Danyatha Jeyapandi
Venado Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Junior Individual Podcast
“The Silent Scream: Emmett Till’s Death and the Awakening of Civil Rights Responsibilities”
Helen Lu
Orange County School of the Arts
“Turning it Up to 435: How Politicians Have Abused Their Responsibilities to Take Away Voters’ Rights via Gerrymandering”
Lexie Holland
Santiago Hills Elementary, Irvine Unified School District
“Teapot Dome Scandal: How Government Responsibility to Keep Fair Corporate Competition Rights Was Violated”
Theodore Hong
Olinda Elementary School, Brea Olinda Unified School District
Junior Group Podcast
“Watts 1965: A Tipping Point for Rights and Responsibility in America”
Mishkaa Baronia, Aira Changal and Kaitlyn To
Venado Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“Mendez and Munemitsu: The Story Behind the Case”
Madilyn Butler, Sofia Reyes and YuQiao Shao
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
“The Development of the Rights and Responsibilities in the Vietnamese Nail Industry”
Ethan Nguyen and Melissa Wu
Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine Unified School District
Orange County Senior Champions (grades 9-12)
Senior Individual Documentary
“Rise and Fall of D.W. Griffith: The Imperfect Architect of Hollywood”
Joe Ryan Thomas Babu
Brea Olinda High School, Brea Olinda Unified School District
“Beyond the Model Minority: Hollywood’s Responsibility in Shaping Asian American Rights and Representation”
Isabella Abiera
Orange County School of the Arts
“An Act of Barbarism: Negligence and National Security Aboard Korean Airlines Flight 007”
Kaden Chiu
Portola High School, Irvine Unified School District
Senior Group Documentary
“Black and White and Red All Over: The Rights and Responsibilities of SAG-AFTRA”
Jongmin Chae and Luna Moon
Portola High School, Irvine Unified School District
“Reel Rights and Real Responsibility: How the Hays Code Shaped Gender, Race, and the Limits of Hollywood Storytelling”
Harah Lee and Sophia Okerlund
Orange County School of the Arts
“Play it Safe: Consumer Rights and Industry Responsibility in Toy Safety”
Lydia Lo and Leanna Lo
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
Senior Individual Exhibit
“Legacy of Betrayal and Medical Immorality: The Rights, Responsibilities, and Redemption of Tuskegee”
Emily Yi
Orange County School of the Arts
“How the Media Failed Angelenos: Rights and Responsibilities in Reporting the 1992 Los Angeles Riots”
Charlotte Nethers
Brea Olinda High School, Brea Olinda Unified School District
“From Forbidden to Fundamental: How Perez v. Sharp’s Defense of Marriage Rights Became a Call for Constitutional Responsibility”
Samantha Bailey
Orange County School of the Arts
Senior Group Exhibit
“Sparking Workers’ Rights: How the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Called for Legal Responsibility”
Sofia Jackson, Caitlyn Ko and Kelli Toshima
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
“A Voice for the Voiceless: Alice Piper and the Fight for Native American Rights”
Chloe Won, Emily Zhao and Brandon Kim
Irvine High School, Irvine Unified School District
“Breaking News or Faking News? Examining the Rights and Responsibilities of the Press During the Pulitzer-Hearst Circulation Wars”
Raelle Tiong and Sol “Sarie” Kwak
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
Senior Individual Performance
“She Told What She Had Seen: How Nineteenth-Century Women Took Responsibility and Advocated for the Rights of the ‘Insane’”
Kylee West
Orange County School of the Arts
“Kim Gu: Balancing the Scales of Freedom and Duty”
Susan Kim
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
“The Gwangju Uprising: The Struggle for Democratic Rights and Responsibility to Resist Oppression”
Rena Oh
Orange County School of the Arts
Senior Group Performance
“Unspoken Courage: The Silent Sentinels’ Right to Protest, America’s Responsibility to Listen”
Emily Yokota and Sophie Wang
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
“Riot to Rights: The Haymarket Affair’s Responsibility in Revolutionizing the 8-Hour Workday”
Sol Yoon and Zoe Chia
Orange County School of the Arts
“The Stand for Justice: The Little Rock Nine and Their Courageous Defense of Civil Rights”
Shaurya Yerapotini and Matthew Lee
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
Senior Individual Website
“Justice Beyond Borders: The Nuremberg Trials and Their Lasting Impact on Human Rights and International Law”
Jennifer Choi
Orange County School of the Arts
“Silent Night, Poisoned Air: A Toxic Case of Abandoned Rights and Evasion of Responsibility, The Bhopal Gas Tragedy”
Aarav Putrevu
Orange County School of the Arts
“The Nuremberg Code: Shaping Human Rights and Responsibilities in Medical Research”
Anna Cao
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
Senior Group Website
“Establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency: Rights and Responsibilities in History”
Aadhi Suresh, Carson Lv and Anish Madishetty
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
“From Atrocity to Accountability: The Foundations of Informed Consent for ‘Patients’”
Ashton Truong and Yuhua Zhang
Irvine High School, Irvine Unified School District
“‘Safety Doesn’t Sell’: The Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Company Case”
Thalia Mao and Clara Bazzani
Irvine High School, Irvine Unified School District
Senior Individual Podcast
“Flying in the Face of Sexism: The WASPs’ Struggle for Rights, Responsibilities, and Recognition in Military History”
Rachel Choi
Orange County School of the Arts
“Defying Power, Defending Rights: How New York Times Co. v. United States Redefined Press Freedoms and Government Responsibilities”
Asmi Aggarwal
Orange County School of the Arts
“Korematsu v. US: A Case of Shattered Rights and Ignored Responsibility That Will Live in Infamy”
Madeline Cheng
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
Senior Group Podcast
“From Hallways to History: The 1968 East LA Walkouts and the Fight for Chicano Educational Rights”
Sailee Charlu and Julianne Wu
Orange County School of the Arts
“Triggering Debate: Gun Rights and Responsibilities Through Time”
Shreya Pandey and Yashas Santosh
Woodbridge High School, Irvine Unified School District
“Uncovering Corruption: How Muckrakers of the 20th Century Used the Right to Free Press to Fulfill Their Responsibility for Reform”
Rose Chhabria and Megan Liu
Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
For more information on National History Day-OC, visit OCDE’s NHD-OC webpage.