2009 Student Historians of the Year Named

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) today announced the 2009 Student Historians of the Year, fourteen student historians who are being recognized for their outstanding essays published in Illinois History magazine, the nation's oldest history magazine written by and for junior and senior high school students. The students published the essays during the past year in Illinois History magazine on topics ranging from women in Illinois history to Abraham Lincoln.

"These carefully researched and well-written essays concerning our past give us hope for the future, because they demonstrate the wisdom and insight of Illinois' young people," said IHPA Director Jan Grimes.

The winning students wrote essays that appeared in the January, February and April 2009 editions of Illinois History magazine, a publication founded in 1947 and written by junior and senior high school students in the state. It is published by the IHPA's Education Services Program, which also publishes Illinois History Teacher, a publication that contains teaching materials. For more information, visit www.Illinois-History.gov and click on "Education Services."

Four of the 14 students were singled out for special recognition as having the best-written and best-researched essays. These four winners, who each receive $50 in prize money, are:

• Jenna Enders, All Saints Academy, Breese. Jenna won the Junior Research Award for her essay, "The Best of Mary Todd Lincoln, the Sixteenth First Lady." Her teacher is Stephanie Garcia.
• Josh Wiggins, Oregon High School, Oregon. Josh won the Senior Research Award for his essay, "Julia Lathrop." His teacher is Sara Werckle.
• Amber Burns, Good Shepherd Lutheran School, Collinsville. Amber won the Junior Writing Award for "Marita Bonner." Teacher: Michael Voss.
• Marina Shah, University Laboratory High School, Urbana. Marina won the Senior Writing Award for her article, "Ruth Bryan Owen Rohde." Adele Suslick is her teacher.

The ten other Student Historians of the Year for 2009 all receive certificates. They include:

• Jamie Blue, University High School, Urbana. "Elizabeth Robinson." Teacher: Adele Suslick.
• Brandon Gigous, Oregon High School, Oregon. "Ogle County Historical Society and Museum." Teacher: Sara Werckle.
• Leah Malkovich, University High School, Urbana. "Julia Lathrop-Shorter." Teacher: Adele Suslick.
• Victoria Manheim, Oregon High School, Oregon. "Abraham Lincoln." Teacher: Sara Werckle.
• Megan Schmidt, Oregon High School, Oregon. "Polo Historical Society." Teacher: Sara Werckle.
• Gabe Elizer, East Prairie School, Skokie. "The Skokie Historical Society is Cutting-Edge." Teachers: Jon Fox and Suzan Bates.
• Ghania Sukhera, East Prairie School, Skokie. "Florence Louise Atkinson Criley." Teacher: Suzan Bates.
• Ciara M. Witt, Washington Gifted School, Peoria. "A History of the Peoria Historical Society." Teachers: Mindy Juriga and J. Tracy Prescott.
• Jane Zhang, Washington Gifted School, Peoria. "A History of the Peoria Historical Society." Teachers: Mindy Juriga and J. Tracy Prescott. • Megan Zurliene, All Saints Academy, Breese. "He said Many Great Things' - Lincoln Quotes." Teacher: Stephanie Garcia.

The Illinois History Preservation Agency will recognize numerous other students from across the state who have excelled in history during the annual Illinois History Expo scheduled for May 7 in Springfield. This event showcases the papers, media presentations, projects, exhibits and performances of nearly 1,400 of the top junior and senior high school history students in Illinois.