Students at the United States Capitol building

MCSD Students and Educator Earn National Recognition at National History Day Competition

Marshalltown CSD

June 26, 2026

Marshalltown Community School District students and an educator achieved remarkable success at the 2026 National History Day (NHD) National Contest held June 14–18 at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.

The national competition brought together nearly 3,000 students from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and international schools. More than 500,000 students participate in National History Day each year, beginning at the school level and advancing through regional and state competitions. Qualifying for the national contest places students among the nation’s most accomplished young historians.

Leading the list of honors was Miller Middle School Extended Learning Program (XLP) teacher Ann Jackson, who was named the 2026 National History Day Teacher of the Year in the Junior Division. Jackson, the only Iowa educator nominated for the national award, was selected from among 78 teacher nominees nationwide. The award recognizes educators who demonstrate excellence in teaching history through innovative instruction, historical research, and student engagement.

Marshalltown students also earned several national recognitions:

  • The Junior Group Performance team of Collins Grant, Naysa Rottink, and Rachel Sher was named a National Finalist for its project on Jane Goodall. National finalists rank among the top 10 percent of entries in their category.

  • The Junior Group Website team of Lydia Beek and Winner Moo earned a National Honorable Mention for their project on the Stonewall Inn. Honorable Mention recipients rank among the top 20 percent of entries in their category.

  • Jaevier Patel was selected for a special showcase at the National Archives for his individual website project, “JFK’s Impact on the Space Race: Shooting for the Moon.”

  • The Senior Group Performance team of Jaden Schwartz, Conner Holman, Victor Gutierrez Cruz, and Josue Corral Coronado earned a National Honorable Mention for its project, “Death and DuPont: How One Lawyer Revolutionized How People Trust Big Corporations.”

  • The Senior Group Performance team of Luke Stalzer, Parker Christen, Colby Cross, Jacob Seberger, and Preston Johnson earned a National Honorable Mention for its project, “The Granger Movement: How a Farmers’ Revolution in the Midwest Sparked Nationwide Reformation.”

The students qualified for the national contest after advancing through district and state-level National History Day competitions. Their projects reflected this year’s National History Day theme, ‘Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History,’ and showcased extensive research, critical thinking, and historical inquiry.

MCSD congratulates Ann Jackson and all National History Day participants for their outstanding achievements and for demonstrating the power of student-driven learning and historical scholarship.