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Sanford Eighth Graders Earn Top Honors at Delaware History Day

4/21/2025

Four students advance to Nationals; two receive special awards for outstanding historical research.

Sanford School eighth graders earned top honors at this year’s Delaware History Day competition, showcasing their research, creativity, and historical insight. Four students advanced to the state-level contest, securing first-place finishes and receiving special awards.

Delaware History Day is a year-long research program that encourages students to explore historical topics connected to a national theme. This year’s theme, “Rights and Responsibilities,” challenged students to make thoughtful connections between the past and present through papers, documentaries, and websites.

“All of our students choose their own topic and build a claim around how it connects to the annual theme,” explained Sarah Cushing, Sanford's eighth-grade history teacher. “They gather both primary and secondary sources, develop a thesis, and present their work—whether it's a paper, website, or documentary—to a panel of expert judges.”

Sanford’s 2025 Delaware History Day honorees include:

Sofia Cascio '29 was awarded second place in the paper category for her research on child labor legislation. She also received the U.S. Constitution Award from the ACLU.
Cam Grundner '29 won the documentary category for his film on child labor history.
Abby Moore '29 won first place in the website category for her interactive project on Title IX, which incorporated legal analysis and multimedia content.
Nora Xu '29 won the second-place documentary award for her film on Alan Turing, which focused on his wartime contributions and treatment as a gay man. She was also awarded the World History Award.

Reflecting on the intensity of the competition, Cushing noted, “It’s pretty intense. Parents and teachers aren’t even allowed in the room. Students are interviewed by judges—often historians or professors—who evaluate their sources and historical arguments.”

All four students have qualified for National History Day, which will occur at the University of Maryland in June. The multi-day event includes judging, networking opportunities, and national recognition for students' work.

“This is more than a history project,” Cushing added. “It’s a chance for students to learn how to make an argument, defend it with evidence, and express their ideas in ways that matter.”

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