NEXT GENERATION ANGELS AWARDS

The Better Angels Society is committed to engaging, mentoring, and empowering the next generation of documentary filmmakers. Student filmmakers uncover different points of view on a topic, critically analyze sources, place events into context, and weave multiple perspectives into a larger narrative—all skills that are essential for the citizens of a healthy democracy.

Partnership with National History Day® (NHD)

The Next Generation Angels Awards is an annual prize sponsored by The Better Angels Society in coordination with National History Day®. The award is presented to six middle and high school documentary filmmakers to recognize excellence in well-researched history filmmaking in the model of Ken Burns. Each year, The Better Angels Society celebrates the six student winners with a series of events that will enhance their knowledge and skills, including a mentorship session with Ken Burns and the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film Finalists. Additionally, all Next Generation Angels Award films receive a copyright and will exist in perpetuity in the Library of Congress.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NHD
KEN BURNS’ NHD RESOURCES

2025 Winning Films – Individual Documentaries

MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION

FIRST PLACE
Brinkley Benoit
the Great IDEA: Speaking for Those Who cannot Speak for Themselves
SECOND PLACE
David Gilbert
Tennet v. DuPont: Violated Rights and Failed Responsibility
THIRD PLACE
Adrian Gillette
FREADOM on Trial: Rights and Responsibilities in Island Trees Board of Education v. Pico

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION

FIRST PLACE
Brad Wu
Camp Jened: A Revolution Born in the Mountains
SECOND PLACE
Kalamakūokanaʻauao Crabbe
The Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana’s Fight for Kohemalamalama O Kanaloa's Rights
THIRD PLACE
William Gao
The Fall and Rise of Mono Lake: The Public Trust Doctrine's Water Revolution

2025 Winning Films – Group Documentaries

MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION

FIRST PLACE
Passawat Chanyasak and Wewish Mahawong
From Pits to Pickets: The UK Miners' Strike of 1984
SECOND PLACE
Helen Collins and Sara Rosenthal
Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty: Right to Access News, Responsibility to Provide It
THIRD PLACE
Paige Nicholson, Sydney Edwards and Tynnlie Schram
Sisters in the Sky: Reaching New Heights Claiming Military Rights

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION

FIRST PLACE
Bryan Lee, Haydn Mangione and Sophie Lee
The Right to Write: The Korean Language Society’s Fight for their Mother Tongue
SECOND PLACE
Benjamin Lu, Divya Ariyur, Emma An and Shawn Feng
Buried Rights and Broken Duties: Love Canal and the Call for Responsibility
THIRD PLACE
Joy Xia, Julia Choi, Miranda Wang, Parisa Gopal, and Sara Bangale
The Pentagon Papers: War, Truth, and Press Freedom
view THE PREVIOUS WINNERS OF the next generation angels awards

This webpage was created by a National History Day® student, Anika Kapoor, through a youth internship program sponsored by The Better Angels Society.