PVS Students Shine at State History Competition, Advance to Nationals

By Minha Alam

National History Day is a prestigious competition in which students conduct extensive primary and secondary source research around an annual theme. This year’s theme, “Rights and Responsibilities in History,” challenged students to creatively present their findings through exhibits, papers, performances, documentaries, and websites, which were then evaluated by a panel of expert judges.

At the West Tennessee Regional competition, PVS Middle School students earned top spots across multiple categories, including:

1st Place in Group Documentary: "I am a Man: The Memphis Sanitation Strike"

1st Place in Group Exhibit: "What Rights?" by Ilan Gouto and Muhammed Sheriff

1st Place in Group Performance: "The 19th Amendment: Being Astonishing"

1st Place in Group Website: "The Reign of Mao Zedong" by Ibrahim Obad, Iyaadh Alam, and Zaid Arifullah

And several 2nd and 3rd place finishes across documentaries, websites, and papers

PVS High School students also stood out at Regionals, winning:

1st Place in Group Documentary: "Rights & Responsibilities: The Tragedies of the Tiananmen Square Massacre"

1st Place in Individual Paper: "The Right to Rise" by Mahin Rahman

1st Place in Individual Website: "Separate & Unequal: How the U.S. Failed Its Responsibility to Protect the Rights of Its Colored Citizens" by Aasiyah Malik

And strong 2nd and 3rd place performances in additional categories

Twenty-eight students from Pleasant View School proudly represented their school on the 5th of April at the Tennessee State National History Day competition, following their amazing performances at the West Tennessee Regional event held at the University of Memphis. Several students also won multiple honorable mention prizes at state level and will now advance to compete at the national level in Washington, D.C., this June.

At the state competition, PVS students achieved impressive placements:

2nd Place in Group Documentary: "I am a Man: The Memphis Sanitation Strike" by Adam Esmail, Aisa Mustafic, Hamza Mustafic, and Aiman Arafat

3rd Place in Group Performance: "The 19th Amendment: Being Astonishing" by Ahmed Abu-Khraybeh, Muaz Abdo, and Islam Talabah

3rd Place in Individual Paper: "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" by Afia Ibnat Subah

3rd Place in Group Documentary: "Rights & Responsibilities: The Tragedies of the Tiananmen Square Massacre" by Sara Ghawji and Minha Alam

Additionally, Adam Esmail, Aisa Mustafic, Hamza Mustafic, and Aiman Arafat received two special awards for their documentary:

The Institute of American Civics Award for best project studying American constitutional liberties

The Voices and Volunteers: Tennessee 250th Award, recognizing excellence in historical research for the Junior Division

The PVS students' achievements showcase the school’s dedication to excellence in historical research and critical thinking. Congratulations to all competitors, and best of luck to those heading to Washington, D.C., this summer!

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