Olinda Elementary students showcased exceptional achievement at this year’s National History Day State Competition, held May 3–4 in Sacramento. Several students earned top honors, including the coveted title of State Champion.
National History Day is a year-long, project-based learning program for students in grades 4–12 that encourages deep historical inquiry around a theme using primary sources. This year’s theme was Rights and Responsibilities in History. Through months of research and creative expression, Olinda students demonstrated their dedication, critical thinking, and passion for history. Their success was reflected in numerous State Champion and State Runner-up awards across a range of categories.
State Champions
- Leia Parekh earned the title of State Champion in the Elementary Individual Poster category with her compelling project on "The Indian Salt March", exploring Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent resistance movement and its global impact.
- Nathan Diebolt was awarded State Champion in the Elementary Individual Podcast category for his insightful and engaging audio project on "Harriet Beecher Stowe", highlighting the influential author’s role in shaping public opinion on slavery through literature.
- A talented team of students (Mateo Sanchez Caero, Jaden Chi, Isaiah Na, Kaydence Felix, Jay Lee) earned State Champion honors in the Elementary Group Poster category for their in-depth exploration of "Vietnamization", and how this complex U.S. military policy implemented during the Vietnam War is still being used today.
- Another Olinda group (Lilly Bucher, Penny Jen, Paige Han, Jiya Patel, Luke Taw) captured State Champion status in the Elementary Group Poster category with their work on "Women Airforce Service Pilots", recognizing the dangerous and groundbreaking contributions of female pilots during World War II.
- In the Elementary Group Podcast category, another student team (Arie Goyal, Lucas Na, Brandon Lee, Ethan Kim, Nathan Lee) took home State Champion honors for their thought-provoking podcast on "Silent Spring", examining Rachel Carson’s environmental legacy and its lasting influence on environmental policy.
State Runners-Up
- Lana Lai earned State Runner-up in the Elementary Individual Poster category with her tribute to "Elizabeth Blackwell", the first woman in the U.S. to receive a medical degree and a trailblazer in women’s healthcare.
- Aria Pal was named State Runner-up in the Elementary Individual Podcast category for her powerful audio project on "Rosalind Franklin", whose pioneering work was essential to the discovery of DNA’s structure.
- A student team (Kaylee Chan, Kayla Seeto, Liya Haridas, Elijah Ng, Megan Almazan) earned State Runner-up in the Elementary Group Podcast category with a moving presentation on "The Little Rock Nine", highlighting the bravery of nine African American students who integrated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957.
Additionally, the Orange County Department of Education recognized several other students from across Brea Olinda Unified School District during the NHD Orange County competition in March. Six students from Brea Junior High, two students from Brea Olinda High School and 26 students from Olinda participated in the county competition with 27 out of 34 students earning the title of county champion. View the list of 2025 NHD OC Elementary Champions and the list of 2025 NHD OC Jr & Sr. Finalists’ Results
The success of these young historians at the state and county level is a testament to their dedication, curiosity, and academic excellence. Through months of research, revision, and creative expression, they brought history to life and demonstrated the importance of learning from the past to better understand the present. Brea Olinda Unified applauds these students for their remarkable accomplishments.
Learn more about National History Day-California at nhdca.org