CONWAY — For Jack Ghormley, a 10th-grader at Conway High School, history has been an interest since he was 3 or 4 years old. Whether it is listening to stories from his grandmother and learning about her past, or spending time reading Wikipedia as a hobby, or listening to “great teachers in the Conway School District,” Ghormley’s passion for history is evident in everything he does.
“It gives me context for today’s matters,” Ghormley said. “You can really see that events happening today are affected by things that have happened in the past.
“We all have a history; it is just a matter of going to your family, talking and listening to them. It is important to know what came before so you can know what is going to be in the future for you.”
For the annual National History Day, a nationwide contest, Ghormley took his love for history and film and produced a documentary on former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his fireside chats and the barriers he broke between the people and the president. Ghormley was named the winner of National History Day’s prestigious White House History Award this summer.
“I was thrilled,” Ghormley said. “I haven’t really won much with the National History Day, so I was honored with this prize. I was excited; it blew my mind.”
Ghormley was also featured on the White House Historical Association’s podcast titled “1600 Sessions.”
For the National History Day competition, Ghormley said, there are five options for the projects, including writing a paper, building a website, conducting a performance, making a documentary or curating an elaborate exhibit on this year’s topic, “Breaking Barriers in History.” Ghormley said that because of his interest in film and writing, he chose to make a documentary.
“[It was on] FDR’s use of the radio and addressing the public through the radio,” Ghormley said. “He was talking to the people directly, talking like the people and with the people. He was trying his best to relate.”
Ghormley said research is the largest part of the National History Day competition. He said he spent time finding letters and newspaper clippings and getting “all the information straight.” In his documentary, he spoke to Jeffrey Urbin, the education specialist for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
“I wasn’t able to connect with as many interviews as I wanted,” Ghormley said. “Last year, when I did my documentary on the Manhattan Project, I was able to speak to three World War II veterans, and they were amazing.”
Jennifer Barnett, a history teacher at Conway Junior High School, said Ghormley is an amazing documentarian.
“He knows how to tell a good story, and he has a fantastic narrator voice, and he used some really good resources that would stand out to the judges,” Barnett said.
She said Ghormley made it to the competition’s national level as an eighth-grader as well for a documentary that he made on the atomic bomb. She said it is very rare for a student to compete at the junior division and senior division.
“We are very proud of him,” Barnett said. “We used to have a lot of entries, when it was part of the curriculum, but now only the kids who really want to compete enter.
“What is amazing is that all but one student made it to the state level, and we took five to the national level.”
She said Ghormley is an A student and “puts all of his effort into everything he does.” Ghormley said he is not sure if he will do another project this year because of his coursework.
Ghormley said he has had a love for films from an early age, thanks a lot to his dad, Joe Ghormley.
“Films have been a huge part of my life,” he said. “The movie theaters were one of my favorite places to go and thinking about the movie afterward. It was one of my favorite pastimes.”
He said some of his favorite films include “Shaun of the Dead,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “Fargo” and “Magnolia.”
“It started with my dad,” Ghormley said. “At a very young age, we would watch movies and talk about them. I wouldn’t have the interest in film if it wasn’t for him.”
“Jack has been interested in making films since he was a small child,” said his mom, Courtney Ghormley. “We are delighted that the National History Day competition allows him to combine his interest in history and love of film through documentaries.
“It has been a wonderful experience for him to participate in Nationals for the past two years, and we are beyond proud that he won the White House History prize this year.”
Jack said he would love to become a writer and director of film and television or work in a history museum, or with the White House Historical Association — that would be his dream job.
“I have had film school in the back of my mind for a long time, but as the years progressed, I began doubting myself,” Jack said. “But through this competition, I have found inspiration, and film school has always been on the table.
“I am just saving up the money, keeping my grades up and hoping for a scholarship.”