The 2025 History Fair Awards Night was a celebration of research, creativity, and academic excellence, held on Thursday, March 6, at South Fork High School. The event showcased the hard work of students across the district as they explored this year’s theme, “Rights and Responsibilities.”
Martin County School District History Fair Coordinator Natalie Williams (South Fork High School) served as the evening’s emcee, guiding the program and recognizing the dedication of students and educators alike. Christina Davis, a teacher at Hidden Oaks Middle School, welcomed the audience and provided an overview of the History Fair process, emphasizing the significance of this year’s theme.
The evening’s guest speaker, Janet Pace of Murray Middle School, shared inspiring words with students and their families. A special highlight of the night featured Q-Markis Brooks, a seven-time History Fair participant and Ms. Natalie Williams’ son, who reflected on how the competition helped shape his academic journey. Now a college student, Brooks credited the experience with strengthening his research and critical thinking skills. He also made a generous $500 donation to help cover accommodations and transportation costs for students advancing to the state level.
The night concluded with the announcement of winners, as Brooks revealed the students who will advance to the State History Fair in Tallahassee from May 4-6. First-place finishers earned automatic entry to the state competition, while second-place winners have the option to submit their work for judging and attend.
History Fair Coordinator Natalie Williams closed the ceremony by highlighting the return of the History Fair to Martin County, a tradition she revived after a 20-year absence. Students will now once again have the opportunity to engage in historical research, develop critical skills, and compete at state and national levels.
Congratulations to all participants, and best of luck to those representing Martin County in Tallahassee!
Junior Categories:
Junior Documentary-Individual:
1st Place: Zachary Tesson (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
Hammurabi Code: The Code That Brought Peace
2nd Place: Parker Yaw (Murray Middle School) -
Miranda v Arizona: Know Your Rights
3rd Place: Jaxson Samotis (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
The Geneva Convention: Protection Matters to Civilians
Junior Documentary-Group:
1st Place: Lily Kate Hartman, Lucy O’ Hara (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
Women’s Voting Rights: Votes for Women
2nd Place: Connor Del Barco-Ungard, Jacob Ngo, Colin Zemler
(Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
Civil Rights Movement: Jackie Robinson Carving the Way Through History
3rd Place: Austin Bertrand, Hudson Cortez, Mikko Larsen (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
Uprising Ejection Case
Junior Exhibit-Individual:
3rd Place: Danuta Bushueva (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
The Catastrophe That Changed The World
Junior Exhibit-Group:
1st Place: Talis Brinn, Stella Dzikowski, Zoey Kappler (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
Girls Education: Education for All
2nd Place: Shelby Blackburn, Johanna Velasquez, Audrey Warren
(Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
Women’s Voting Rights: The Voices That Matter
Junior Paper-Individual:
1st Place: Emma Pace (Murray Middle School) -
Contrasting Eras
2nd Place: Ariana Francisco (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
The American Revolution
Junior Performance-Group:
1st Place: Willow Allen, Lmaliah Anderson, Jalen Gordon, Ashaina Griffin, Chassiti Kirksey (Murray Middle School) -
The Chicago 50 Mutiny
Junior Website-Group:
1st Place: Thomas Fyfe, Andrew Pinto (Hidden Oaks Middle School) -
Jackie Robinson: A True Underdog Story
Senior Categories:
Senior Exhibit-Group:
1st Place: Alyssa Greene, Julissa Jones (South Fork High School) -
Girls Education: Education for All
2nd Place: Douglas Adriance, Aiden Roy (South Fork High School) -
Australia
3rd Place: Cecelia Salvante, Elizabeth Lopez (South Fork High School) -
Brazil
Senior Paper-Individual:
1st Place: Sa’ niyah Delancy (South Fork High School) -
Comfort Women
Senior Website-Individual:
1st Place: Ahlaya Rolle (South Fork High School) -
Where is Our Mail? The Six Triple Eight