Middle School Winners Announced in POTUS 2025 Project
The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site has announced the winners of this year’s Project POTUS competition, a national middle school history initiative. Since the founding of the United States, there have been nearly half a billion American citizens, with only 45 becoming President. Project POTUS challenges students to research an American president and create a video representing their chosen president in a creative and historically accurate way.
A Citizen Jury of nearly 100 people reviewed all qualifying submissions and selected the winners. The grand prize winner was Peter Gestwicki, a 6th grader from Muncie, Indiana, who won a $500 award for his video about Theodore Roosevelt.
The Spotlight Award winners, who each received a $400 award, included Grace Whitworth from St. Richard’s Episcopal School in Indianapolis for her video about President Thomas Jefferson; Izzy Abraham from Sycamore School in Indianapolis for her video about President Calvin Coolidge; and Clara Haley from St. Richards Episcopal School in Indianapolis for her video about President George W. Bush.
Additionally, Delaney Guy and Nora Steinhauser from Cooperative Middle School in Stratham, New Hampshire, won a Spotlight Award for their video about President James Polk. A total of 37 students won their respective Presidential Categories and received $100 awards.
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The 2026 Project POTUS competition will begin on Election Day, November 4, 2025, and all submissions must be entered by Presidents Day, February 16, 2026. The competition is made possible by the generous support of Russell & Penny Fortune.
For students participating in the competition, it’s an opportunity to engage with American history in a unique and creative way. By researching and presenting on a president of their choice, students can develop a deeper understanding of the president’s role in shaping the country’s history and government. This, in turn, can help them become more informed and active citizens in the future.
The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, which hosts the Project POTUS competition, is a National Historic Landmark that shares the legacy of Indiana’s only President and First Lady with tens of thousands of people annually. The site offers guided tours, educational programs, and cultural events, and is consistently ranked as one of the top things to do in Indianapolis.
More information about the Project POTUS competition and the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site can be found at PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org. The site also offers a range of educational resources and programs, including the Future Presidents of America initiative and the Candlelight Theatre program.
