Dozens of elementary, middle and high school students received awards for a variety of presentations in Riverside County’s National History Day competition, exhibiting what Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez Monday called “distinction” and “wisdom” for the caliber of their projects.
The 2026 contest, themed “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History,” ran all day Saturday at Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, culminating in the announcement of awards going to 137 of the 471 students who participated.
“The extraordinary student projects on display at Riverside County History Day are a powerful example of students integrating their curiosity and creativity with the depth of knowledge that comes from studying history,” Gomez said Monday. “Our award-winning historians will not only represent the county with distinction at the state competition, but the wisdom they have gained will provide a timeless competitive advantage as they pursue their educational and professional endeavors.”
The students who took part hailed from six public school districts and six charter schools or private academies.
All of the teams comprising the 137 students who received accolades will be invited to compete in the National History Day-California State Competition set for May 1-3 at Cal State Sacramento.
According to the Office of Education, winners showcased a mix of projects oriented to this year’s theme.
One of the elementary school student winners was Alisa Yi from the Corona-Norco Unified School District, who racked up points for her presentation “Yellowstone: A Revolutionary Idea That Changed America.”
At the junior level, among the standouts was Ayesha Ashfag from the Riverside Unified School District, who presented a documentary titled “Echoes of Silence: Remembering Cambodia’s Revolution of Death.”
In the senior category, among the winners were Ava Provencio and Paris Villegas from the Moreno Valley Unified School District, who jointly offered “Liberty at the Guillotine; How Popular Revolution Destroyed the French Monarchy and Sparked the Reign of Terror.”
Additional information is available at rcoe.us/student-events/history-day.