Albuquerque- The New Mexico National History Day program is excited to announce that Rechelle Gutierrez, a junior at Silver High School, has had her documentary submission "The Spark of the Civil Rights Movement: Diane Nash" selected for the 2020 Digital Documentary Showcase hosted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C from June 17 – 24, 2020 and online via the Smithsonian Learning Lab. Gutierrez's video documentary from the state contest can be viewed on the New Mexico Humanities Council website.

Gutierrez is a student participant in the New Mexico History Day program and recently competed in the state competition in April 2020, where she took first place in the Senior Individual Documentary category. This is not the first time she has earned recognition for her scholarly achievement; Gutierrez was also a national finalist for her documentary covering Robert F. Kennedy at the 2019 National History Day (NHD) competition.

The New Mexico History Day program is hosted by the New Mexico Humanities Council, and the recent state competition was held virtually with students and schools from across the state. Students who qualified for the National History Day competition will participate virtually at the National contest June 17 – 24, 2020.

"It is an honor to have Rechelle's documentary selected for this event. She is an amazing young lady with a special talent. Our high school is extremely proud of her," said Claudie Thompson, Silver High School NHD teacher. "And we are especially thankful that the NHD competition was not cancelled but instead moved virtually, which allowed thousands of kids to still compete."

The New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) seeks to understand who we are, who we were and who we aspire to be. NMHC supports public programs in New Mexico communities which inspire inclusive conversations that strengthen our civil society and celebrate diverse human experiences. Learn more at www.nmhumanities.org.