Welcome to the website of the
Michael E. Patten Award, awarded each year on
Maryland History Day. The award is
presented by Maryland Humanities and made possible through a donation from The Patten Family.
The Michael E. Patten
Award for the Best Use of Primary Sources was created to honor the memory of a young man who had a keen
interest in history. The award is sponsored by Maryland Humanities and made possible through a donation from Mike Patten's
family. It is
presented as one of the special awards at the Maryland History Day's awards ceremony. Individuals are chosen from the Senior
Division from
a public school. This monetary award is divided between the winning student (or students) and the media center of the winning student's
school. These checks are presented by the Patten family. A copy of
American Brutus by Michael W.
Kauffman,
Mike Patten's brother-in-law, is also presented to the media center.
On June 10 2001, Mike and his friend, Lea Anne Brown, were returning home after spending an evening with friends in Washington D.C. when
they became victims of a random attack, ending in the brutal murder of both young people. Mike was 29 and Lea Anne was 24. When they
stopped, five men who had been on a crime spree all evening, surrounded their car and forced them out. Mike and Lea Anne were beaten and
shot multiple times. For this horrible crime, the robbers got $30 from Mike and $25 from Lea Anne.
Mike Patten had graduated from the Prince George's Community College with a major in history. He was particularly interested in WWII and
the Civil War. At the time of his death, he was working at Riggs Bank and continuing his studies at the University of Maryland. In the
fall before his death, he had traveled with a friend to visit Normandy and other places in Europe related to WWII. At one time, Mike had
played a part in a documentary for the History Channel filmed at Ford's Theatre on the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Left to Right: Mike, Mike and his friend in England, Mike and Lea Anne Brown
Because of Mike's association and volunteer work with the Surratt House Museum of Clinton, Maryland,
friends made donations to The Surratt Society in his memory. Mr. Gene Thomas, a former teacher from Wisconsin, made a large donation yearly
with the stipulation that it be used in a significant way to honor Mike. It was decided to create a special award to recognize students who
showed knowledge of the importance of using primary sources when researching their projects. Through the generosity of Mr. Thomas, the
Society sponsored the special award for several years. After that, Mike's family decided to continue the sponsorship as a way of
recognizing the hard work of young students and as a way of continuing to honor Mike's memory.
Congratulations to these students for their fine work!
2024
Student: Sahasra Batta
Topic: The Alcatraz Occupation: A Turning Point in the Red Power Movement
Category: Senior Individual Website
School: Marriotts Ridge High School
City: Mariottsville
Teacher: Christina Costabile
2023
Student: Claire Hersh, Isabella Hampton
Topic: Americans with Disabilities Act: Paving the Way for the Disabled
Category: Junior Group Documentary
School: Centreville Middle School
City: Centreville
Teacher: Thomas Hayman
2022
Student: William Lin, Heleeben Patel, Ella Roberts
Topic: Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: Scientific Diplomacy Amidst the Cold War
Category: Senior Group Website
School: Western School of Technology
City: Catonsville
Teacher: Christopher Pagliarini
2021
Student: Blythe McCammon, Kelsey Njembu
Topic: Ida B. Wells: Setting the Red Record Straight
Category: Senior Group Documentary
School: North Point High School
City: Waldorf
Teacher: Michael Serpone
2020
Student: Hannah Park
Topic: "Let Freedom Sing": Breaking Barriers of Inequality Through Spirituals
Category: Senior Individual Documentary
School: James M. Bennett High School
City: Salisbury
Teacher: Meredith McGann
2019
Student: Anjali Vidyasagar
Topic: The 1900 Galveston Hurricane: A Destructive Tragedy With An Impactful Triumph
Category: Senior Individual Exhibit
School: Long Reach High School
City: Columbia
Teacher: Anthone Bond
2018
Student: Claire Wayner
Topic: Flight to Extinction: The Conflict between American Progress and the Passenger Pidgeon
Category: Documentary
School: Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
City: Baltimore City
Teacher: Maureen O'Neill
2017
Students: Chris Pondoc and Jamie Roan
Topic: The Inability to Take a Stand: The Navajo Nation and the Need for Uranium
Category: Website
School: Frederick High School
County: Frederick County
Teacher: Beth Strakonsky
2016
Student: Cody Pfeiffer
Topic: Exploration of Puerto Rico
Category: Performance
School: Queen Anne's County High School
County: Queen Anne's County
Teacher: John Haines
2015
Student: Ankit Sheth
Topic: Jawaharlarl Nehru: The Public Face of Diplomacy, but the Private Face of Division
Category: Performance
School: Poolesville High School
County: Montgomery County
Teacher: Daniel McKenna
2014
Student: Carrie Pritt, Alayna Stepp
Topic: Life Behind A Wall: The Denial of Rights in Communist East Germany
Category: Performance
School: Frederick Homeschoolers
County: Frederick County
Teacher: Christine Pritt
2013
Student: Haley Crane
Topic: Women Working During WWII
Category: Senior Individual Exhibit
School: Howard High School
County: Howard County
Teacher: Danelle Brennan
2012
Students: Seth Henry and Mikal Walcott
Topic: At the Heart of the Haitian Revolution: How Slaves Abolished a World Order
Category: Group Documentary
School: Reservoir High School
County: Howard County
Teacher: Jennifer Coker
2011
Student: Michael Keen
Topic: Lost Opportunities for Peace: Vietnam, 1945-1950
Category: Paper
School: Homeschool
County: Montgomery County
Teacher: Christine Keen
2010
Students: Anne Blonder and Max Cushner
Topic: Tin Lizzie: The Ford Model T's Road to Automobile Revolution
Category: Senior Group Documentary
School: Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
City: Baltimore City
Teacher: Dennis Jutras