Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Twenty-six MPS middle schoolers not only studied history, they made Milwaukee Public Schools history. District students took part in the annual National History Day competition in Madison in spring, and a group of students from Hayes Bilingual School were the first in the district to advance to compete at nationals in Washington, D.C. MPS students competed at the regional and state levels several times between 2010 and 2020.
The Hayes students’ trip to Washington in June was significant; less than one percent of the 500,000 students who take part in National History Day events worldwide qualify for nationals.
How They Did It
For at least two hours a week, participating students took extra history lessons. They completed research activities and learned the difference between primary and secondary sources of information. Seventh and eighth graders served as team captains. Fifth graders learned the ropes as research assistants.
Supported by social studies teachers, MPS Gifted and Talented coach Martha Silva-Krieger, and family, the young historians debated, researched, and re-enacted milestone moments from America’s past. Guided by the theme Rights and Responsibilities in History, students chose research projects that connected America’s democratic journey to their experiences as gifted, talented, and bilingual students.
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In "Justice for All," Hayes Bilingual School students portrayed leaders from the 1787 Constitutional Convention to today, including Founding Father James Madison and U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey. The Hayes historians’ creativity and meticulous research earned them a trip to the National Contest in D.C.
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The team from Albert E. Kagel School earned the Wisconsin History Award for their exhibit on the impact of bilingual public education in Milwaukee. Their research included an interview with civil rights leader and former Milwaukee Board of School Directors member Luis “Tony” Baez, called “the grandpa of bilingual public education in Wisconsin.”
“This is a very rigorous contest,” said coach Martha Silva-Krieger. “Bringing the National History Day competition to our district opened doors to curiosity, courage, and discovery. Our students embraced every challenge. They learned about themselves. They understand how history impacts our daily life and sometimes repeats itself.”
Support from MPS Advanced Academic Programs, the Wisconsin Historical Society, community volunteers, and chaperones made the experience possible. It began with the National History Day Milwaukee Regional contest in March and ended at the University of Maryland, College Park, for nationals June 8 to 12, 2025.
“Staying at the University of Maryland gave students an idea of what college is all about,” Silva-Krieger said. “Some of them said they didn’t like social studies before this experience or weren’t thinking about college. Touring national landmarks and interacting with peers from around the country who share their interests and passions can change a student’s life.”
“It changed my perspective on history,” said Kate Arlene Esteves Perez, a rising eighth grader at Hayes Bilingual School and National History Day team captain. “One of the most valuable things we have is our story. Something that sticks with me is how people thought and felt in 1787, all the struggles they had with the Articles of Federation, seeing their government slowly falling apart.”
Darlene Perez Rodriguez, who accompanied the team to Washington, D.C., as a chaperone, watched the one-act play "Justice for All" take shape over several months.
“I would describe it as a piece of history being brought to today’s reality, showing us everything has been evolving slowly, imagining how it would have been if women were part” of the Constitutional Convention, Rodriguez said.
She described herself as privileged and proud to watch her daughter’s performance as team captain and portrayal of U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, noting that “women are an essential part of the Senate and Congress today.”
Kate and teammates took this one step further by writing women delegates into their script. Women were not allowed to be delegates, or even attend, the 1787 convention.
Students from public and private schools nationwide participate in regional National History Day competitions at the junior level for middle school or senior level for high school. Competing individually or in groups, they produced documentaries, published websites, staged original performances, and curated exhibits that capture major moments in American history. The top three finishers in each category advanced to their state competition.
“It was an honor to help create this powerful learning journey, which I hope MPS continues every year,” Silva-Krieger said.
Here are the schools and students who represented MPS at regionals, UW-Madison (state), and the University of Maryland (nationals):
Albert E. Kagel School
Kevin Ramos and Citlali Marin Rivera were named first alternates in the junior exhibit category at state. "The Impact of the Bilingual Education Act" earned the Wisconsin Historical Society Local History Award.
Fernwood Montessori School
A group performance by Chelsea DeWitt, Nadia Johnson, and Odelia Milligan focused on the Milwaukee Bridge War.
An exhibit by Olivia Baumer, Adah Folstad, Sophia Guerts, and Tegan Werner focused on the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention.
Hayes Bilingual School
Kate Esteves, Alexander Facio, Emily Hernandez, and Johan Alvinez performed "Justice for All" in Madison. They advanced to the national contest in Washington, D.C.
Morse Middle School for the Gifted and Talented
Gina Yang wrote a research paper on Manifest Destiny.
A group performance by Urty Moua, Zeinab Omer, Charlotte Sparks, Ember Welch, and Melissa Xiong focused on the March on Washington.
Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes Studies
Elena Herrmann, Miguel Ortega, and Everett Whitney-Wortz took their exhibit, "The Effects of the American Indian Movement in Milwaukee," to the state contest in Madison.
Mahreyo Palmer built a website to share his research on the Russian Revolution.
Walt Whitman School
Juliette Sobalvarro, Olivia Edmond-Perkins, and Zuria Vidal Torres took their exhibit, "The Boston Tea Party," to Madison.
Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning
Yahmoni Dailey and Traniah Stokes screened their documentary about the Boston Tea Party at the regional competition at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.