By Cody Mello-Klein | cmelloklein@alextimes.com

Patrick Ostermann-Healey, a George Washington Middle School student, was awarded the African American History Prize during the National History Day Contest that was held virtually from June 14 to 20, according to a news release.

Ostermann-Healey received the award for his paper, “The 1939 Alexandria Virginia Library Sit-in: Breaking a Barrier to Read at a Public Library.”

The National History Day Contest involved more than 500,000 students from around the country completing and submitting projects in one of five categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance and website, according to the release.

After projects were evaluated by more than 300 historians and education professionals, Ostermann-Healey was among the more than 100 students who received cash prizes, ranging between $500 and $2,000, according to the release.

The contest is organized by National History Day, a nonprofit organization based in College Park, Maryland that seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history, according to the release.