Monday, April 9, 2012

National History Day Competition

The district History Day competition was held on March
24 at Case Western Reserve University and our students
had outstanding results. Out of 31 students participating,
23 will advance to the state competition which will be held
at Ohio State University at the end of April. The theme this
year is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.

Beginning with the historical paper category, Maya
F placed first with her paper on Jane Edna Hunter, a
pioneering social reformer in Cleveland in the early 1900s
and Prathna K placed third with her paper on Nellie Bly,
an investigative reporter during the late 1800s.

In the individual website category, Dhweeja D placed
second and Kavya R placed third. Dhweeja’s website
was on the smallpox vaccine and Kavya’s focused on
revolutions in surgery and anatomy in the Renaissance.

Birchwood had three place finishers in the group website
category. Sachi G and Joan C took first with a website
focusing on the Hough Riots in Cleveland. Nate C and
Clive C placed second with their website on the Integrated
Circuit. Ammar M and Michael T placed third with their
website on the conservation movement in America. All
three groups will compete at the state competition.

In the performance categories, all of Birchwood's
performances placed and will advance. Megan P placed
second for her individual performance on the Salem Witch
Trials. In the group performances, Katelyn V, Christine
B, and Alexander I placed first with their performance
about the muckrakers in the early 1900s and Kareem T
and Cameron S placed second with a performance on
the Space Race.

In the individual documentary category, Birchwood took the
top three spots. Naomi W placed first with a focus on the
Berlin Wall. Adam I placed second with his documentary
on Joseph McCarthy and Peter A took third with his look
at President Truman’s firing of Douglas MacArthur in the
Korean War.

In the group documentary category, Pheby L and Grace
X took first for their documentary on the Montgomery Bus
Boycott.

In the individual exhibit category, Anna H placed first for
her exhibit on Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring which
started the environmental movement. John H earned an
honorable mention for his exhibit on the Winchester rifle
and will compete at the state competition.

In addition, Maya F received recognition and a cash
award from the Early Settlers Association of the Western
Reserve for her paper on a local topic, and Peter A
received recognition and an invitation to a reception hosted
by the Cleveland Grays for his focus on a military topic.
Congratulations to all these students and good luck at the
state competition on April 28!