Riverside Polytechnic High School junior Ryan Williams French only had 10 minutes to perform his skit, but he played four roles depicting Civil Rights era personalities to win the nation's top honor in his category in the 2007 National History Day competition.

Ryan Williams French

Ryan's project finished first in its category, according to results posted on the National History Day Web site. Over 500,000 students nationwide participated in National History Day competition this year.

To prepare for his quartet of quick-change roles that included playing the parts of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, Ryan said he spent two months searching for vintage clothes and other props from the Civil Rights Era. The audience was so amazed, that some even cried during his performance.

"It was incredible," National History Day spokesman Mark Robinson said of Ryan's performance in a phone interview Friday. "It had all the historical qualities, but he's a tremendous performer. He made the story of Martin Luther King come alive."

Ryan maintains top honors with a gpa of 4.2, he hopes to attend Yale University in 2008.