Woodhaven-Brownstown School District

Students from the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District have made their mark on Michigan History Day 2025, winning top honors at the state-level competition held April 19 at Central Michigan University.

Fourth-grade students Lucia Araujo Chavez and Nicole Arreola-Perez from Bates Elementary School took first place in the Youth Group Performance category with their original play, Sylvia Mendez Goes to a White School. Their moving performance tells the story of Sylvia Mendez, a young girl whose family's legal fight in 1946 helped end segregation for Hispanic students in California public schools. Today, Mendez is a civil rights activist whose story continues to inspire young people across the country.

The students were mentored by Maryna Hedeen, an English Language Learner (ELL) teacher at Bates Elementary. Under Hedeen’s guidance, the girls wrote an original script and brought the story to life through performance. The team previously won the same category at the Michigan History Day District 10 competition on March 1 at the Detroit Historical Museum. In the youth division, which includes grades 3–5, there are only two competition levels—district and state—and Lucia and Nicole won them both, officially completing their History Day journey as state champions.

Hedeen credited the girls’ families for playing a crucial role in their success.

“The girls and I wrote an original script that they had to memorize, but we didn’t have enough time during the school day to practice,” she explained. “Their parents stepped in and made sure they practiced regularly after school. The girls would call each other on video chats to rehearse and even got together in person sometimes. Nicole also had a costume change during the play, and her mom found a dress that looked just like Sylvia’s dress in a historical photo we found online. I was very impressed by all the support and effort the parents gave throughout the entire program.”

The win was an emotional and memorable moment for the students. “The girls and their parents were very happy and proud,” Hedeen said. “Lucia said she couldn’t believe it at first, and Nicole had to tell her to move and go up to the stage to get their award!”