AISD Students Advance to National History Day After Top Finishes at State Contest; Texas History Day Teacher of the Year Award Goes to District Teacher

Disponible en:

Several Aldine ISD students earned top honors at the 2025 Texas History Day Contest, with two teams advancing to the National History Day competition in June.

The contest, held Saturday, April 5, in Austin, featured student projects from across the state centered on “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” Only first — and second-place entries in each category qualify for the national competition, which will take place in June 2025 at the University of Maryland.

Blanson CTE High School and MacArthur High School students show off their medals at the 2025 Texas History Day contest.

Blanson CTE High School students Jasmeet Singh, Marilyn Turcios, Emily Cox, and Luz González-Cisneros captured first place in the Senior Group Exhibit category with their project “Taming the Urban Jungle: The Fight for Public Health and the Passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act.” Teacher Samantha Yonan guided the students.

MacArthur High School students Eric Gallegos, Jennifer Gámez, Hailey Mullikin, and Jocelyn García will join them at nationals. Their exhibit, “The Shirtwaist Fire: A Spark for Labor’s Rights, ” earned second place in the same category. Their teacher is Caitlyn Soden.

Several other Aldine ISD students also placed at the state level:

• Orlean Antoinette Macalalad of Young Women’s Leadership Academy finished fourth in the Senior Individual Exhibit category with her project on the United Farm Workers Movement. Teacher Zara Dehri supported her.
• Jesua Trejo of Blanson CTE High School placed fourth in Senior Individual Performance for “Affirmative Action: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities in Education,” under the direction of teacher Vannessa Guerra.
• Anthony Guardado López of Orange Grove Elementary School placed fourth in the Elementary Individual Poster category with his project on the Chernobyl disaster. His teacher is Daniela Correa.

Raquel Longoria (center of left picture) of Stovall Middle School is the 2025 David C. DeBoe Texas History Day Teacher of the Year Award. In the image to the right, Anthony Guardado López of Orange Grove Elementary School is pictured with his medal.

In addition to the student awards, Raquel Longoria of Stovall Middle School was honored with the prestigious David C. DeBoe Texas History Day Teacher of the Year Award for her outstanding dedication to history education.

In addition to the state placements, Abigail Flores of Shotwell Middle School received the Dr. Charles Pipes History of Veterinary Medicine Award for her Junior Division Individual Website, “European Rabbit’s Invasion of Australia.” Her teacher is Nicole McCray.

Sarahí Orellana, also from Blanson High School, was named a finalist in the Senior Individual Exhibit category for her project “Rights and Responsibilities: The Legacy of El Salvador’s Civil War.” Samantha Yonan is her teacher.

Texas History Day is affiliated with National History Day and is coordinated by the Texas State Historical Association. Students present original research through exhibits, performances, documentaries, websites, and papers based on an annual theme. The contest encourages students to develop critical thinking, research, and public speaking skills through hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

Aldine ISD students compete in History Day each year as part of the district’s commitment to academic excellence and civic engagement. National History Day is a highly competitive, nationwide academic program that draws thousands of students from across the country to showcase their work.