By: Dr. Andrew Yox, Honors Director
Expertise has its own rewards, and in the case of history essays at Northeast Texas Community College, the reward might be something greater than an ‘A’. For the sixth year, history at NTCC will feature the Bonnie Spencer Awards for the best two research papers in non-honors classes. The first-place winner will receive $100, and the second place, $50. There will be an optional Honorable Mention Prize.
Essays should be at least 1,000 words with correct historical citations. The names of the author and mentoring professor should be omitted from the manuscript. Professors may nominate their top student essays, or students may nominate their own papers. The essays should have been written for a fall-of-2020 or a spring-of-2021 non-honors-seminar history class at NTCC. Essays should be sent to areyes@ntcc.edu by Thursday, 6 May 2021, at noon. For questions about the rubric, or format, email the Phi-Theta Kappa-Honors coordinator, Andrea Reyes at the above address or Dr. Andrew Yox at ayox@ntcc.edu. History professors here, along with a possible intervention by Bonnie Spencer, will determine the winners.
Past winners have gone on to other opportunities and awards. A 2020 winner, Carolina Alcocer-Salas became a 2020 Leader of Promise, a national award given by Coca Cola, and Phi Theta Kappa. The 2019 winner, Jordan Whelchel, later won a full ride to Rice University. 2016 winner, Kassandra Martinez went on to join Honors Northeast and received a free trip to present her winning paper on Cyclone Davis at the meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council in Seattle.
The awards are in honor of Bonnie Spencer who in 2002 started NTCC’s first history club. She now works as an ICU Nurse at the Titus Regional Medical Center, and raises and sells Appaloosa horses in Camp County.
