Milt Zaslow
The National Cryptologic Foundation established the Milt Zaslow Award for Cryptology for the Maryland History Day Contest with the Maryland Humanities Council (MDHC). This annual statewide contest involves over 450 students, 85 judges, plus parents and teachers. Winners go on to represent Maryland at the National History Day contest.
During the contest, there are categories for Junior and Senior school participants. Judges have guidelines for a variety of subjects, including special awards such as the Milt Zaslow Award for Cryptology that focused on cryptologic topics. The Milt Zaslow Award for Cryptology was awarded to students during the years 2013 to 2018.
During Milt’s tenure as the Recognitions Committee chairman, he took great interest in the program and on several occasions served as a contest judge for cryptology. Milt was inducted into the NSA/CSS Cryptologic Hall of Honor in 2007. Read more about Milt Zaslow.
Senior Division
Topic: Operation Mincemeat: How a Silent Spy, a Compromise, and Some Ingenuity Enabled the Allies to Push Forward to Victory in WWII
Student: Emily Rand
Category: Paper
School: Institute of Notre Dame
City: Baltimore City
Teacher: Caitlin Connor
Photo: Emily Rand, 2018 Senior Division Winner with NCMF President Dick Schaeffer
This project describes a unique form of espionage used in World War II by British intelligence. British forces wanted to invade the geographically strategic and powerful Sicily, but the German and Italian forces heavily guarded Sicily, making it almost impossible to invade without a bloody battle. So, British intelligence devised a plan to dupe the Germans into thinking the Allies were planning to invade Greece, instead of Sicily, by placing fake documents on a dead body, and planting the dead body on the coast of Spain. The body was disguised as a British soldier who had died at sea, but carried letters from one general to another, confirming an Allied invasion of Greece. This operation became known as Operation Mincemeat. German intelligence analyzed the documents and even Hitler himself studied them. Ultimately, Hitler deployed troops from Sicily to Greece, leaving Sicily weakened, and the Allies successfully invaded. Operation Mincemeat proved to be a successful, absurd war tactic.
Junior Division
Topic: ENIGMA: Alan Turing in WWII
Category: Exhibit
Students: Morgan Babylon, Abha Shrestha
School: West Middle School
County: Carroll County
Teacher: Stacey Gruber
Photo Left: Enigma Exhibit – 2018 Zaslow
Photo Right: Morgan Babylon and Abha Shrestha with NCMF President Dick Schaeffer
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2017 Junior and Senior Division level winners of the Milt Zaslow Award for Cryptology. The 2017 Maryland History Day event took place on 29 April and featured, as always, exceptional and inspiring student presentations and projects. The theme for this year’s event was “Taking a Stand in History.”
The theme for this year’s event was “Communication in History.” As always, the Maryland History Day competition was packed with inventive, inspiring, and talented young minds. We are honored to present these special awards to the students.
Senior Division
Title: Invisible Hero: Tony Mendez and the Rescue of the American Houseguests During the Iranian Hostage Crisis
Category: Group Performances
Students: Katherine Harvey, Kelly McGovern, and Abigail Haffey
School: Frederick Homeschoolers
County: Frederick County
Teacher: Christine Pritt
Photo: Katherine Harvey, Kelly McGovern, and Abigail Haffey with NCMF Vice President Orville Lewis
Junior Division
Title: Navajo Code Talkers: Taking a Stand in History
Category: Individual Documentaries
Student: William George
School: Centreville Middle School
County: Queen Anne’s County
Teacher: Thomas Hayman
Photo: Winner William George with NCMF Vice President Orville Lewis
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2016 winners of the Milton Zaslow Award for Cryptology.
Senior Division
Title: “Running Out of Time: The Forgotten Polish Exploration of Enigma.”
Category: Performance
Students: Ms. Megan Tatum and Ms. Alice Walker
School: Poolesville High School
County: Montgomery County
Teacher: Mr. Daniel McKenna
Junior Division
Category: Performance
Student: Ms. Kelly McGovern
School: Frederick Homeschoolers
County: Frederick County
Teacher: Ms. Christine Pritt
Photo: Baltimore County Delegate Adrienne Jones presents the Milt Zaslow Award for Cryptology to Junior Level Award Winner, Ms. Kelly McGovern
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2015 winners of the Milton Zaslow Award for Cryptology.
Senior Division
Title: “Alan Turing: Codebreaker.”
Category: Documentary
Students: Alan Gorny and Srinayan Nuvvala
School: Howard High School
County: Howard County
Teachers: Danelle Brennan and Mary Curtin
Photo: (l to r) – NCMF President Dick Schaeffer, Srinayan Nuvvala, Alan Gorny, and Joyce Leviton, from the office of US Senator Ben Cardin.
Junior Division
Title: “Alan Turing: An Enigma No More.”
Category: Web site
Student: Grady Fort
School: Southern Middle School
County: Calvert County
Teacher: Melissa Kallfelz
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2014 winners of the Milton Zaslow Award for Cryptology.
Senior Division
Title: The NSA Scandal
Category: Pesentation
Student: Mr. Jeremy Davis
School: Bohemia Manor High School
County: Cecil County
Teacher: Mr. Michael Means
Junior Division
Title: Women Spies
Category: Presentation
Students: Ms. Carlie Domogauer and Ms. Kristen Tull
School: Matapeake Middle School
County: Queen Anne’s County
Teacher:Ms. Jillian Ferris
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2013 winners of the Milton Zaslow Award for Cryptology.
Senior Division
Title: “The Effect of the Navajo Code Talkers on U.S. – Native American Relations After WWII.”
Category: Exhibit
School: Polytechnic Institute
City: Baltimore, Maryland
Junior Division
Title: Navajo Code Talkers
Category: Exhibit
School: Matapeake Middle School
City: Stevensville, Maryland