PHOTO: From left, Goza students James Cox, Amelia Douglass and Georgia Neal. The trio placed in the top three spots at a regional competition, advancing them to compete at the state level. | Submitted photo
By MYRA HOUSER | Special to arkadelphian.com
Three Goza Middle School students have advanced to the state-wide Arkansas History Day Contest, to be held April 18, 2026, on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
James Cox, Amelia Douglass and Georgia Neal all placed in the top three spots in their respective divisions at the Region 6 competition, which took place at Ouachita Baptist University on Feb. 28.
Arkansas History Day is part of the National History Day contest system. Middle- and high-school students design, research and present projects as part of a theme. This year’s theme was “Revolution, Reform, Reform.” Students created documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances and websites, either individually or in teams of up to five. They then spent 10 Saturday mornings discussing these with a judging panel. Judges evaluated their research and presentation skills, thesis construction, and ability to relate their chosen topics to the theme.
Contest entry is free in Arkansas, and students may work independently or as part of a school club or class project. All three Arkadelphia students worked outside of class.
Cox won third place in the Junior Paper division. He wrote “The Baltic Way,” chronicling a peaceful anti-Soviet demonstration in 1989. As part of his research, he translated documents from Lithuanian into English and then put them into conversation with additional sources.
Douglass won the Junior Individual Website division. Her site was entitled “Fred Rogers: Reformer of Children’s Television.” She used photos, interviews, and showings of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood to highlight how Fred Rogers forever changed children’s television—making it more entertaining and emotionally driven.
Neal placed second in the Junior Individual Performance division. Her project, “Reacting with Ruth,” drew off of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s memoirs and interviews to share snippets about her life and work. Goza Middle School librarian Griffin Pritchard served as sponsor for the projects, helping the students to work on them during their WIN time.
“It’s an honor to have students and families from our region visit Ouachita for any reason, but to have young scholars who care about studying and understanding the past makes the experience all the more thrilling for everyone involved,” said Dr. Casey Motl, professor of history and dean of the Sutton School of Social Sciences at Ouachita. “The Sutton School of Social Sciences at Ouachita is deeply honored to support the National History Day mission, and we look forward to next year’s regional competition—hopefully with even more young historians on hand!”
The Region 6 contest drew nearly 90 students from Hot Springs, Bryant, and surrounding areas. It was Arkadelphia’s first year to compete after a lengthy hiatus.
Several Arkadelphia organizations also provided special prizes. These rewarded students who had excelled in their study around a particular theme with $100 cash prizes. Sandi McGuire presented the Clark County Historical Museum Award and talked with students about her rewarding career with a history major. The Arkadelphia Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented the DAR Award for the best project on women’s history, and Dr. Lisa Speer sponsored the Thomas L. Auffenberg Award for the best project on history related to England or Great Britain. Several other students were eligible for special prizes.
Cox, Douglass, and Neal will present their projects in April for a chance to advance to the National Contest, which will take place in College Park, Maryland, in June.
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