Ira Parsons shares his story about NHDAZ

 After receiving Ira Parsons' thank you letter, we are even more impressed with his abilities and the benefits of NHDAZ.

"My name is Ira Parsons, and I just finished my sophomore year at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale.

Thanks to the Historical League’s sponsorship this summer, I won the Library of Congress medal (“Discovery or Exploration in History”) at this year’s National History Day finals, becoming the first person ever to win it twice, for my senior paper, “Rights Without Responsibilities: How the Framers of International Space Law Failed to Foresee Privatization.”

Competing this year was a great experience: the Washington Post invited us to submit a short essay, the White House Historical Association invited me to participate in a writer’s workshop, and I had fun touring the campuses of Johns-Hopkins and Princeton University.

Over the past four years, this contest has helped me develop not only as a writer, but also as a critical thinker and historical analyst. The important skills I have learned – such as interpreting the historical record, synthesizing research, and developing and defending a thesis – have allowed me to thrive in many endeavors, both in and out of school.

Thank you and the Historical League for your generous support,

Ira Parsons"

Butterfield Overland Stage Trail exhibit closing

 Butterfield Overland Trail exhibit closes Saturday, August 2 at 3 pm so don't miss this chance to see it.

This vivid exhibit by Marjorie Reed brings to life the rugged journey of the Butterfield Overland Mail Stage, one of America's earliest overland mail routes which stretched from Missouri to California, carrying passengers and mail through Arizona. Reed traveled the route of the Butterfield Overland Mail Stage from the late 1930s-1940s, sketching out various points along the trail.

In 1858, John Butterfield won a government contract to carry mail from St. Louis to San Francisco twice a week. He employed over 800 people and ran up to 250 coaches, 1,000 horse and 500 mules.

We are grateful to Historical League member Davie Garrison who co-ordinated the donation of painter Marjorie Reed’s Butterfield Overland Stage paintings to the Arizona Heritage Center. Born in Springfield, Illinois, raised in Los Angeles and later living in Tombstone, AZ, Marjorie Reed painted western scenes, including Butterfield Overland Stage coaches and cowboys, horses and people on the Overland Mail Route. Marjorie took organ lessons from Davie as did Mache Tuveson and they became good friends. Dr and Mrs. L.L. Tuveson donated the paintings to the AZHC.

Alfredo Gutierrez 1945-2025

 Alfredo Gutierrez 1945-2025

It is with great sadness that we share with you the passing of Alfredo Gutierrez honored by the Historical League in 2019 as an Arizona Historymaker.
His life and legacy are documented in video and oral history at
https://historicalleague.org/projects/alfredo-gutierrez/
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

NHD Teacher of the Year Dr. Rebekah West Keur

 Dr. Rebekah West Keur, a truly dedicated educator and a finalist for the prestigious National History Day (NHD) Teacher of the Year Award! Dr. West Keur has been a guiding force in the NHD program at her schools since 2018 including being the first teacher to bring the program to a large school district in Arizona, inspiring and impacting others along the way. She's had the privilege of mentoring around 700 students, helping them dive deep into history through research-centered passion projects.

"National History Day means so much to me as a scholar and an educator," Dr. West Keur shares. "This program allows all students to immerse themselves in history and historical thinking through research-centered passion projects. This offers them the opportunity to excel academically and as people."

NHD Teacher of the Year Laura Shafer

 "I am so honored to be nominated for the NHD Teacher of the Year!" Laura Shafer has been a history teacher for 21 years in Arizona. "I started getting involved in NHD in 2016, first as a judge and then by having my students compete at both the middle and high school levels. There is no other opportunity like NHD to have my students engage in historical research. My students truly become historians, diving into archives, meeting with librarians and even interviewing historical witnesses. They become experts on their topics and build confidence in their academic pursuits. Having a 12 year old create a 10 page annotated bibliography is an accomplishment in and of itself! I have students come back and compete year after year, growing in their abilities and confidence as researchers. NHD is a unique opportunity for students who love history!"

Ethan Tsay appreciative of NHD and Historical League

Congrats to NHD student Ethan Tsay on winning Best Arizona Story sponsored by Historical League; Best Western History from Charles Redd Center for Western Studies; Best Environmental History sponsored by Coalition of Environmental History.

He designed a Senior Individual Website, A Toxic Legacy: Uranium Mining in the Navajo Nation https://89080652.NHDWebCentral.org

Ethan's grateful note describes, "The most rewarding part of competing in National History Day is learning about lesser-told aspects and stories of a broader historical context. It is important to unearth the stories of underrepresented minorities to preserve the truth in history. The most stressful part is making sure to finish the project to the best of your ability within certain deadlines and time constraints. I learned how to create a historical narrative that is not only cohesive but also tells a story."

Thank you so much!

Ethan

Arizona students at Award Ceremony Parade

Teacher Stacey Trepanier, Ethan and NHD students explore Washington D.C.

Josie Pete and Cathy Shumard with Ethan at State Finals

Jessica Finnie thankful for NHD program and Historical League

My senior paper was The Responsibility of Remembrance: The Discarded Rights and Legacy of Annie Hamilton Brown." I am honored to have won the Untold Stories in History prize at Nationals. 

Thank you for the Historical League's generous sponsorship for NHDAZ. I sincerely appreciate the scholarship; attending both NHDAZ and the National NHD competition were incredible experiences! I enjoyed connecting with like-minded students who share a passion for history.  I am delighted to have attended this year. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to participate in the NHD programs.

The most rewarding part of competing in National History Day was conducting primary-source research at the National Archives, writing about a lost figure in history, and bringing an untold story to light.

The most stressful part of NHD for me was keeping within the word count of the paper while meeting the key objectives of the paper rubric. 

Over the course of participating in NHD, from Arizona to the National Level, I learned how important studying history is as a young scholar. It was amazing to find a community who shares my passion for historical research and exploring history.

Participating in NHD has been a wonderful experience that has changed my life. First-person, primary research was essential to my work. I first discovered Annie Hamilton Brown while transcribing documents for the National Archives as a Citizen Archivist. In my research, I quickly found that I was limited by what I could discover online--so I traveled across the country to the East Coast to conduct primary research in Massachusetts (where Annie Hamilton Brown lived) and Maryland. To clarify, I researched at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland; traveled to the Massachusetts Historical Society, where the Massachusetts Audubon records are held; went to Stoneham, Massachusetts, where Annie lived, and visited her gravesite; and read Annie's original will at the Judicial Archives of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. I discovered a passion for conducting historical research through this passion project. I am delighted that I was able to share Annie's untold story with a wider audience, and am honored to have represented Arizona at the national level. My work for Annie Hamilton Brown continues. It is my goal to publish Annie's untold story and have her legacy recognized today as a prominent conservationist. She was an incredible woman who deserves to be remembered today. I am sincerely grateful for Arizona's NHD program and the opportunity to participate.

 

Thank you,

Jessica Finnie