HISTORY DAY


WILLIAM P. MACKINNON AWARD

WILLIAM P. MACKINNON AWARD


Each year, William P. MacKinnon generously provides funds to further the professional development of a meritorious employee of Utah Historical Society.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR'S AWARD WINNERS!

Carly Bagley, public historian, Utah Historical Society's Women's History Initiative. Carly has piloted ways to add oral histories to our scan-and-share events, interviewed rodeo queens, and supported so many of our communications efforts, such as "Among the Brine." Carly especially furthers UHS’ work by building connections to community organizations and ensuring that our programming is informed by partners’ voices.

Eliza Carr, public historian, Utah Historical Society's Women's History Initiative. While completing her Master's capstone during her UHS internship last spring, she stepped-up on very short notice to serve as the event manager coordinating Martha Hughes Cannon's statue send-off with dozens of partners and hundreds of attendees. Her creative programming ideas have made Utah Historical Society events like Member Month more meaningful and memorable for Utahns. We appreciate her proactive problem-solving across all areas of the Society and are glad to have her on our staff.

Tiffany Greene, public historian, Museum of Utah Exhibition Team. Tiffany's research contributions support the museum team’s goals to help visitors see themselves in the stories being told.  For example, her research skills have helped on challenging projects like the Museum's Connecting Voices, an interactive exhibit that engages visitors in learning more about the demographics of Utah's communities through historical research, and helps advance UHS' mission and reach.


The Utah Historical Society’s annual awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to history, prehistory or historic preservation in Utah. Whether these efforts are quiet or prominent, they benefit the state's citizens.

Congratulations to this year's award winners!

2024 WINNERS
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TEACHER OF THE YEAR


SINCE 2017

Since 2017, the Utah History Day Teacher of the Year Award is given to an outstanding UHD teacher in honor of Mike Johnson, who directed this program from 1991-2006. Mike was respected and loved by the teachers and schools he served throughout the state, and he cultivated a dynamic approach to history education through what was then called the Utah History Fair.

Winners receive $500 and are nominated for the national Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award.




2023: Darlene Tanner, Diamond Valley Elementary and Melinda Reay, Skyline High School

2022: Cali Dansie Burgess, Timberline Middle School

2021: Elizabeth Halloran, Westland Elementary

2020: Lisa Pockrus, Ogden High School

2019: Melissa Crandall, Union Middle School (Sandy)

RESULTS

PROGRAM HISTORY


SINCE 1980

Our program got its start in 1980 in the History Department at Utah State University. Influenced by the Chicago Metro History Fair, Ohio, West Virginia, and National History Day, History Professor Errol Jones began work to create a history research-based competition for Utah’s youth. With help from colleagues at USU, including then History Department Chair Ross Peterson and the late College Dean William Lye, Jones worked throughout 1980 to raise the money to bring the program to fruition. Start-up money came from many sources including Utah State University. The Utah State Board of Education donated over $20,000 during the summer of 1980. In October of 1980, the Utah Endowment for the Humanities supplied over $25,000 and provided the final key to getting the Utah History Fair started.

Professor Jones and Assistant Director Shannon Hoskins began meeting educators along the Wasatch Front in November. They conducted 10 workshops with educators and 45 in-class presentations to 1,500 students and community members. They worked with 71 teachers in 31 schools and 14 school districts. Four regional competitions were held. At the state contest, judges selected 12 projects to represent Utah at the National History Day Contest in Maryland. During that first year, nearly 500 students competed in the Utah History Fair. Delmont Oswalt, Director of the Utah Endowment for the Humanities, decided to support the Utah History Fair an additional year. Since its inception in 1980, the Utah History Fair has continued to grow and turn thousands of Utah’s kids into historians.

In 2013, Utah History Fair became Utah History Day when it adopted the nationally recognized moniker, and was transferred from Utah State University to the Utah Division of State History.

To listen to the story of the “Founding of the Utah History Fair,” visit the “Beehive Archive”. “Beehive Archive” is a program of the Utah Humanities Council, formerly the Utah Endowment for the Humanities.

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