Utah History Day 2026: History in Government Winners

Every April, students in grades 4–12 from across Utah take part in Utah History Day, part of the larger National History Day (NHD) competition. Participants select a historical topic connected to an annual theme, then conduct primary and secondary research using sources from libraries, archives, museums, and other historical repositories. Final projects are presented as exhibits, documentaries, performances, papers, or websites.

In honor of the America250 commemoration, the 2025–2026 theme, Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History, encouraged students to explore moments of dramatic change, public response, and lasting reform throughout history.

As a repository that preserves millions of historical government records, the Utah State Archives and Records Service Division is proud to participate in Utah History Day. Each year, we sponsor a special History in Government prize recognizing projects that explore the role of government, public policy, civic action, or political leadership in history.

This year’s judges were impressed by the depth of research and thoughtful analysis demonstrated in the submissions. Three outstanding projects earned top honors.

Briggs Carlson’s paper explores how the Manhattan Project transformed both science and government during World War II, tracing the rapid development of nuclear research and the unprecedented mobilization of scientific talent, funding, and federal coordination that defined the wartime effort. The project examines how scientific discovery moved from small university labs into large-scale, government-directed research programs, fundamentally changing how science was organized and carried out.

The paper argues that the Manhattan Project reshaped the relationship between science and government, establishing the “Big Science” model that continues to influence major research initiatives today. It also considers the moral and political reactions to atomic weapons and the long-term reforms that followed, including international arms control efforts and changes in how governments support and regulate scientific research.

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Georgiana Cvetko and Maren Tomkinson’s documentary examines the 1982 protests in Warren County, North Carolina, sparked by the placement of a hazardous waste landfill in a predominantly African American community. The project highlights how residents organized resistance against the landfill, bringing attention to what would later be recognized as a defining early case of environmental racism and a catalyst for the Environmental Justice Movement.

The documentary explores how this local protest gained national attention and helped shape broader conversations about environmental inequality and public policy. It connects the Warren County protests to later governmental responses and reforms addressing environmental justice, demonstrating how grassroots activism can influence both public awareness and policy change over time.

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Senior Division Individual Documentary Winner: “Jacob Riis: How One Man Reformed New York City” by Sita Nadesan, Skyline High School (Granite School District)

Sita Nadesan’s documentary examines the work of journalist and reformer Jacob Riis and his efforts to expose the harsh living conditions of tenement housing in late nineteenth-century New York City. Using photography and writing, Riis documented overcrowded and unsafe urban housing, bringing public attention to the realities faced by immigrant and working-class communities.

The project explores how Riis’s work sparked public reaction to urban poverty and helped drive major housing and sanitation reforms in New York City. It highlights the connection between investigative journalism, public awareness, and government action, showing how individual advocacy can lead to lasting structural reform.

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Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! We are continually inspired by the creativity, research, and historical insight demonstrated by Utah History Day students and look forward to seeing future projects that explore how revolution, reaction, and reform continue to shape our world.