Junior Trio wins Untold Stories in History Award

Juniors Jessica Bree, Emely Herrera Rivas and Heileen Torres capture the Untold Stories in History Award for their National History Day group website category project titled, “A Crime Against Humanity: The Guatemalan Syphilis Experiments.”

“Initially, we had discovered the unethical practices of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments,” the research trio wrote in a process paper accompanying the website. “As we had intended to research scientific practices for this year’s topic, Tuskgee had simultaneously aligned with our personal goals and the National History Day 2025 theme. Although, through our Tuskegee research, we had uncovered a greater threat to human rights: the Guatemalan Syphilis Study. As we pursued our extensive search for reliable sources, it was clear the Guatemalan Syphilis Studies were much more inhumane and unethical due to the inoculation of syphilis.”

All three teenagers are powerhouses in their own right, but together they are absolutely unstoppable.

The group created the following thesis for their project: “The Guatemalan Syphilis Experiment had desecrated the means of humane experimentation by betraying and manipulating subjects into practice. Inability to receive written consent for said practices had occurred: obscene photographs were taken, patients' needs were not met, and more. Victims were perceived as less than human, as scientists had inoculated these individuals with syphilis, along with other sexually transmitted diseases. Following, scientists had failed to provide treatment to these victims consequent to the unethical practice, which had affected the wellbeing, and later the bloodlines of many.”

The website includes 807 words and 1:14 of multimedia clips. The partners said they utilized a variety of databases, websites, videos and primary source images. They collected several scientific studies on ethics, including ones containing different perspectives on the subject. They utilized NoodleTools to manage their research.

The three juniors have previously participated in the National History Day initiative and presented their research through a website. “Therefore, we have developed the skills to utilize the program effectively,” the teenagers wrote in their process paper. “We now feel very comfortable with the technology and feel we work effectively with the web central program. Furthermore, a website displays our data in an interactive and informative way. We appreciate how you can interact with a website and provide a unique experience.”

As the research trio dug deeper into their topic, the material really struck a chord with each one of them.

“The Guatemalan Syphilis Experiments are a key example of inhumane scientific practice,” the process party said. “Scientists had been ignorant of the effects of their experimentation; they belittled their subjects, took advantage of their naiveté and consequently led them on with false hope of treatment. The victims have not received compensation and the companies involved have not taken accountability for the violation of human rights. The syphilis experiment was an enduring issue that has resulted in Guatemalans having limited access to healthcare for sexually transmitted diseases today.”

The National History Day contest theme is “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” Ms. Bree, Ms. Herrera Rivas and Ms. Torres found that the infamous syphilis experiments violated the rights of the Guatemalans involved in the study by not gaining their consent. On the flip side, scientists disregarded their professional responsibilities.

“They were injected with syphilis and were treated inhumanely,” the research trio said. “Researchers such as Dr. John Charles Cutler believed it was for the greater good of humanity; however, scientists took advantage and discriminated against minorities in Guatemala.”