One of the most powerful ways to learn about historical events is by reading about the personal experiences of others.
Since 2012, Junior Scholastic®, a social studies magazine for students in grades 6–8, has hosted the Eyewitness to History contest, which encourages students to connect with members of their community and interview people who have experienced historic events in person. This year, after the Junior Scholastic team read through over four hundred fantastic interviews, three students are being recognized for their entries, and the grand-prize winner’s interview is being featured in the April 22 issue of Junior Scholastic.
This year’s grand-prize winner is Uttara Krishnan, a seventh-grader from San Jose, California. For her entry titled “A Child’s Point of View: The Iranian Revolution,” Uttara interviewed a family friend named Sylvie Kadivar about her experiences during Iran’s revolution as a child and starting a new life in France. For her grand-prize-winning entry, Uttara and her teacher will each receive $250. You can read Uttara’s interview with Sylvie in an article titled “Escaping Iran’s Revolution” in the April 22 issue of Junior Scholastic and online, here.
The first runner-up is Sophia Leclerc, an eighth-grader from Charleston, South Carolina, who interviewed Ganna Agrest about her experience surviving the Siege of Leningrad. Sophia will receive $50 and her entry will appear in an issue of Junior Scholastic next year.
The second runner-up is Oliver Viglas, a sixth-grade student from Bennington, Vermont, who interviewed a family friend named Chris Williams about his experiences as a civil rights activist in Mississippi in the 1960s. Oliver will also receive $50 and his entry will appear in an issue of Junior Scholastic next year.
Congratulations to Uttara, Sophia, Oliver, and their teachers, as well as all of this year’s contest participants and interviewees who shared their incredible experiences.
