San Ramon Teen Takes National History Day Honor

San Ramon teen Julienne Sauer is celebrating the work of one of the most influential — but perhaps lesser known — leaders of the environmental movement.

Sauer was introduced to the work of Rachel Carson in 2012, while an eighth-grader at Windemere Ranch Middle School. She studied Carson's text Silent Spring, published 50 years earlier in 1962.

"We talked about how her books changed our society from the industrial revolution and how people thought about the environment," said Sauer, who will be a freshman at Dougherty Valley High School next semester. "If not for her book, we could still have a really bad environment."

Carson, who died of breast cancer in 1964 at age 56, wrote informational releases for the federal government in the early part of her career. She later changed her focus to challenge the use of synthetic chemical pesticides.

Sauer's caring study came together in her project "What a Book Can Do: Rachel Carson's Silent Spring Launches the Environmental Movement," for which Sauer won a $1,000 scholarship in the National History Day competition.

"I was really excited the first time I found out," said Sauer, who took first place in the Junior Individual Exhibit category.

Sauer was inspired not only to spread the word about Carson, but also has plans to join an environmental club. Sauer admits her research into Carson's work has sparked in her a greater interest in history and science.

"In 2012, it was the 50th anniversary of Silent Spring, so I went to our library and read it. It was very inspiring. I thought it would be a great topic for the competition. I researched it and got more interested," she continued.

Sauer passed through county and state qualifying rounds to reach the national level. This was the third time Sauer joined the competition. Sauer is the first national winner from San Ramon. Her brother, Eric, took fifth place in a past competition.

Students in middle school and high school from across the country competed in several categories June 9-13 in Washington, D.C. The contest was supported by the National Endowment of the Humanities and the History Channel.