For Immediate Release
June 4, 2015
Contact: Rebecca Taber-Conover
860-522-6766, ext. 11
Hartford,
CT/College Park, MD –Connecticut’s
top student historians will be taking part in the prestigious National History
Day Contest at the University of Maryland in College Park from June 15 to June
18. Seventy-six Connecticut students
will compete with more than 2,700 students from across the country. Students
will showcase their months of historical research and hard work by presenting
their projects to teams of volunteer judges.
The judges choose the top three finishers in each category (papers, exhibits,
websites, documentaries, and performances) and provide constructive feedback to
all participants. The National Contest
culminates in an Awards Ceremony that is live streamed via the History Channel
website, on Thursday, June 18.
Members of the Connecticut delegation
previously placed first or second at the State History Day Contest, which was held
on May 9, 2015 at Central Connecticut State University.
“The depth of the projects is
amazing,” stated Rebecca-Taber Conover, State Coordinator of History Day in
Connecticut and Head of Public Programs at Connecticut’s Old State House. “I am
so proud of our Connecticut students.”
During the National Contest,
students, teachers and parents have an opportunity to participate in several
special activities. Members of the delegation will enjoy a day-long tour of
Washington, D.C. which will include a meeting with U.S. Senators Richard
Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy, a visit to the U.S. Capitol and a trip to
the National Archives.
Several Connecticut students have
already received special recognition. Anaisja
Henry, a student at Renzulli Academy in Hartford, will attend “Breakfast on the
Hill” with members of Congress, an event sponsored by
National Endowment for the Humanities. Thomas
Hopkins Gallaudet: Leader in Deaf Education, an exhibit created by Jayde
Zainc, Jackie Tavoletti, and Cassie Reilly from Memorial Middle School in
Middlebury, will be on display at “National History Night” at the National Museum of American History. Tanusri Bell from the Academy of Information
Technology and Engineering in Stamford is one of only 25 students invited to
participate in a special Paper
Writers' Event at the Library of Congress.
Over 4,000 middle and high school students
participate in History Day in Connecticut, one of 56 affiliate programs of National History Day, a renowned, year-long, academic program. The
road to National History Day (NHD) usually begins in Connecticut’s classrooms
and home schools where students choose topics reflecting an annual NHD theme,
conduct research and analysis and create an exhibit, performance, website,
paper or documentary that shares their findings. Of these, over a thousand
students competed in this year’s Regional Contests, with 400 of winners going
on to the State Contest, which sends first and second-place winners on to
Nationals.
All of this is made possible by a
strong collaboration among many of Connecticut’s history organizations who work
with dedicated educators to help students develop critical thinking skills and
a passion for learning and sharing history. A shared goal is to encourage a
life-long interest in Connecticut’s rich stories, archives, historic buildings
and museum collections. The collaboration is led by Connecticut’s Old State
House, funded by Connecticut Humanities, and supported by the Connecticut
League of History Organizations, the Connecticut Historical Society, Central
Connecticut State University and scores of historical societies and civic
groups who provide special prizes at the state level.
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