The Washington State Historical Society’s annual History Awards recognize excellence in advancing the field of history in the state of Washington through writing, teaching, historic projects, and understanding cultural diversity.
We are excited to share that Vibha Sathish Kumar, a UW Academy Student, received the Teen Historian Award presented by the Washington State Historical Society. Vibha won this award at last year's Washington History Day State Contest and was formally be presented the award this year at the Washington State Historical Society's (WSHS) History Award's Ceremony.
The Washington State Teen Historian Award is open to senior division (grades 9-12) students competing in the Washington History Day state contest. The winning student receives a $500 cash prize and a volunteer summer residency working with staff at the Washington State Historical Society. Vibha’s award-winning documentary “Seattle’s Soul after Internment” delves into the lives of some of the Japanese Americans who returned to Seattle after America’s desolated concentration camps closed during the final months of WWII. The documentary explores the different responses and attitudes towards the returning Japanese Americans in Seattle. Vibha was able to conduct some of her research for her documentary during an internship last summer with the Washington State Historical Society. You can watch Vibha's award winning documentary here. Congratulations Vibha!