On May 2, 2026, a talented delegation of 8th-grade students from Northern Middle School represented Garrett County Public Schools at the Maryland History Day state competition, held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
Northern Middle School is proud to announce that several students earned top honors for their rigorous historical research and creative presentations, competing against the finest young historians from across the state. State qualifiers included:
- Individual Website: Cash VanSickle
- Group Website: Jolene Engle & Madison Riley; Elodie Morel & Raina Schrock
- Individual Exhibit: Lawson Call; Corinna Eller
- Group Exhibit: Brooklyn Kroll & Maci McCroskey; Gwen Kostovick & Brystol Marsh
Three students received prestigious special awards for excellence in specific areas of historical inquiry:
- Lawson Call received the Major General John E. Morrison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and Innovation for his exhibit, “The Wonderful World Wide Web: This is for Everyone. “ Sponsored by the National Cryptologic Foundation, this award includes a cash prize of up to $500.
- Gwendolyn Kostovick and Brystol Marsh were honored with the George Washington Leadership Prize for their exhibit on “Alexander Hamilton. “ Sponsored by George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the award included a cash prize and a commemorative bust of the first President.
The success of the program is bolstered by an outstanding educator, Mrs. Amanda Wilburn, U.S. History teacher, who was named the 2026 Garrett County History Day Teacher of the Year. Her dedication to her students’ success and historical literacy has been instrumental in the program’s growth.
Maryland History Day is a long-term research project that serves as a cornerstone of the 8th-grade curriculum at Northern Middle School. While the project provides vital research experience for all students, those in the Honors Gifted and Talented course go above and beyond to compete at the school, county, and state levels.
“We are extremely proud of these students’ hard work,” noted a competition judge. “These research projects represent an accelerated learning opportunity where students demonstrate mastery in digital, information, and historical literacies while exploring their personal interests in the humanities.”
