The Society of Ohio Archivists Membership and Awards Committee is pleased to announce the 2021 SOA History Day Awards. The awardees were selected from submissions for the award, from among those advancing to the state finals competition which was held virtually on Saturday, April 24.

Junior Award: Angela D’Souza, Birchwood School of Hawken, for her junior individual documentary, “The Cleveland Free-Net: How a Case Western Reserve University Experiment Opened a New World of Communication.” Angela worked with archivists at Case Western Reserve University to obtain primary source documents and resources about the Cleveland Free-Net that she used in her documentary. She also interviewed the widow of the creator of Free-Net, who gave her additional photos and primary sources she used.

Senior Award: Brendan Zbanek, Mary Basilion, Zara Braun, Shaker Heights High School, for their senior group performance, “Tinker v. Des Moines: The Student Led Fight For Free Speech.” Brendan, Mary, and Zara researched the Supreme Court case files, and read books from the 1960s to fully understand the time period. They also conducted an interview with Mary Beth Tinker, the plaintiff in the case, and incorporated her firsthand knowledge of the case into their performance.

SOA History Day Awards are awarded for exceptional use of primary sources or manuscripts in the development of Ohio History Day Projects. Awardees receive a certificate and $100 cash award, individual or group (divided among group members), in both the Junior and Senior Divisions. This SOA award was initiated in 1999. Ohio History Day is a “free social studies program that meets Ohio’s Learning Standards and engages students in a dynamic, creative, and rigorous learning process along the way.”

Thank you to this year’s SOA History Day Award judges Devhra BennettJones, Janet Carleton, Lonna McKinley, and Cate Putirskis, managed by Stephanie Shreffler, cochair of Membership & Awards.

Questions? Please see the Membership & Awards Committee page.

Last Updated on May 26, 2021 by janet_carleton