Deen Lateef by a river at sunset, with buildings and a bridge in the background.

Deen Lateef, an eighth grader at Benton Middle School, has earned top honors in the 2025 National History Day competitions. 

Deen took first place in the Region 5 contest, advancing to the Virginia History Day state competition, where he placed fourth overall. His project, titled “Battered Bodies: Medicine’s Betrayal of Minority Communities,” explores how the medical establishment has historically marginalized minority communities. The project reflects his interests in law, history, and human rights. 

When asked what he hopes others take away from his project, Deen emphasized the importance of recognizing the human cost behind scientific progress. “I hope people understand that a lot of progress in science and medicine came at a cost — especially to people who were poor, Black or didn’t have power,” Deen said. “We need to think about who gets credit, who gets left out, and how to make science more fair and ethical.” 

In recognition of his work, Deen received the MCV Foundation Medical History Prize, presented by VCU Health. The award honors a student project that best explores the history of medicine or public health. Judges praised Lateef’s project for its strong scholarship and compelling analysis of how medical advancements have affected social justice and access to care.