The Mount Vernon Prize for Excellence in Civics and History in Honor of Dr. Jennifer London is awarded to two projects every year.

This award recognizes outstanding middle and high school students who apply their understanding of Washington’s life and legacy within their classrooms, schools, or communities. This award centers student voices and allows us to understand why students think that Washington’s biography is important and relevant to their lives today.

Jump Lower

Select a link

High School Winner

Interview with Sachin Saravanan

Middle School Winner

Interview with Katie Wurst

Do you know a student to nominate for the Student of the Year Award?

High School Winner

Sachin Saravanan

Sachin Saravanan from Jacksonville, Florida, was recently selected as the recipient of the Mount Vernon Prize for Excellence in Civics and History in the High School category.

Sachin wrote an excellent research paper in his IB Contemporary History Class on George Washington’s encampment at Valley Forge and the Conway Cabal. He then transformed this paper into an engaging documentary video entitled “Surviving Valley Forge: Washington’s Dilemma”. In his documentary video, Sachin emphasizes that one of George Washington’s strengths was his humility—his ability to seek out and listen to the advice of trusted counselors. This eventually led Washington to establish a presidential cabinet, setting a precedent that continues to be observed to this day.

Sachin’s research, which made extensive use of Washington’s personal correspondences, helped him realize that effective civic action can take many forms, including those as simple as writing to local and state representatives. Sachin is particularly passionate about education and advocating for the rights of teachers.

Interview with Sachin Saravanan

Middle School Winner

Katie Wurst

Katie Wurst from Falls Church, Virginia won the Student of the Year Award for her report and its companion film, “In the Shoes of George Washington”.

Katie is a student at Acton Academy Falls Church. She based her work on a classroom project in which students were assigned the roles of pre-Revolutionary “Patriots” and “Loyalists.” The project was intended to help students better understand how incremental losses of freedom led to discontent and, eventually, revolution. Katie was also inspired to emphasize George Washington’s role in the Revolutionary War after taking a field trip to George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

For her project, Katie recorded classroom activities, her classmates’ decisions, and the actions of both “Patriots” and “Loyalists.” She edited the footage, and used it to create an engaging short film. Her film’s themes were further supported by a written report detailing the laws and restrictions imposed by British rule, drawing parallels to her peers’ project experiences. Katie prioritized original research and reliable sources, including the wide range of Washington-related publications available on Mount Vernon’s website.