This week, Carmel High School students Divya Ariyur (12th), Shawn Feng (11th), Emma An (11th), and Benjamin Lu (11th) are being recognized at the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film ceremony in Boston for their outstanding documentary, Buried Rights and Broken Duties: Love Canal and the Call for Responsibility.

Their documentary earned 2nd place in the National History Day Group Documentary category. More than half a million students participated in National History Day nationwide in 2025. The project explored the theme Rights and Responsibilities in History, showcasing impressive research, storytelling, and critical thinking.

National History Day is a yearlong academic program that encourages middle and high school students to conduct original research on historical topics of interest. Students present their work through documentaries, exhibits, performances, papers, or websites, and compete at local, state, and national levels. The program aims to promote critical thinking, research skills, and civic engagement by studying history.

In addition to their national placement, the team received the Next Generation Angels Award, which honors six middle and high school documentary filmmakers nationwide. This award includes:

• A mentorship session with Ken Burns, the acclaimed documentarian

• Guidance from the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film finalists

• Permanent copyright and preservation of their documentary in the Library of Congress

Congratulations to Divya, Shawn, Emma, and Benjamin for their incredible achievement—and for representing Carmel Clay Schools on the national stage!