NEXT GENERATION ANGELS AWARDS

A key component of continuing Ken’s legacy is to engage and empower the next generation of documentary filmmakers. The Better Angels Society is committed to paving the way for the filmmakers of tomorrow and honoring the legacy of Ken Burns.

Partnership with National History Day (NHD)

The Next Generation Angels Awards are 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 student 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 mentorship events, including a conversation with Ken Burns, as well as official copyrights for their films presented by the Library of Congress. 

In 2022 The Better Angels Society will honor the winning students for their filmmaking talent and hard work virtually. By leveraging digital platforms, we can bring the work of the winning students to more students and teachers nationally. More information will be coming soon. All of this year’s winning films can be viewed below.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NHD
KEN BURNS’ NHD RESOURCES

2022 Winning Films

MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION

FIRST PLACE
Krin Blegen, Wisconsin
What They Taught Us: How Grassroots Debate and Diplomacy Shaped the Milwaukee Open Housing Movement
SECOND PLACE
Aubrey Grier, Washington
Makah Whaling Rights: A Moral Debate of Cultural Preservation
THIRD PLACE
Lachlan Gebhart, Wyoming
Wolves: Bloodthirsty Menaces or Stewards of the Land?

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION

FIRST PLACE
Maci Hill, Texas
Communist in the Cornfields: Roswell Garst's Citizen Diplomacy
SECOND PLACE
Abigail Peters, Minnesota
Fight for Our Wilderness: The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act
THIRD PLACE
Jessie Henderson, Tennessee
More Than Potatoes: Debate and Diplomacy in the Mission of the USS Jamestown

EVENTS

The events to honor the work of the 2022 Next Generation Angels are:

  • The 4th Annual Student History Documentary Film Festival
  • A Mentorship Conversation with Ken Burns
  • A Mentorship Conversation with the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film Winners
FILM FESTIVAL
view THE PREVIOUS WINNERS OF the next generation angels awards

Hilton was a proud sponsor of the 2019 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.