Storm Lake students earn national honor at History Day contest

Five Storm Lake High School students earned honorable mention in the Senior Group Website category at National History Day's national contest in College Park, Maryland. Eden Laguna Zavala, Fernando Ramirez, Frank Arbizu-Guerra, John Schwint and Riak Tut entered a project that also finished second in the first round of national judging.

Their project, Say Cheese!: How the Introduction of Community Water Fluoridation in Grand Rapids Revolutionized Dental Health, was guided by Storm Lake High School teacher Christina Rice. National History Day's June 14-18 national contest at the University of Maryland, College Park, drew nearly 3,000 students, and about 1% advanced after moving through local, regional and state rounds.

The 2026 contest centered on Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History, a theme chosen to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Students competed in documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances and websites, all built around year-long research. NHD Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn told students they should be proud of their research and accomplishments.

Storm Lake’s entry focused on Grand Rapids, Michigan, where community water fluoridation began in 1945 and where early studies found sharply lower tooth decay among children drinking fluoridated water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates fluoridated water reduces cavities by about 25% in children and adults, and more than 209 million people in the United States had access to fluoridated water in 2022.