Four Valley Middle School students will be representing Oakland, NJ at the National History Day National Finals June 9-13 at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md.
Valley Middle School students Kira Cuneo, Sofia Ebio, Sabina Borowiec and Glynnis Gourhan, have advanced to the national finals of the National History Day Contest.
With the assistance of District Workshop Coordinator Judith Vihonski, Oakland beat out over 500,000 participants nationwide. The Valley Middle School students will now be part of a contingent of 2,800 students from around the country who descend on the University of Maryland for the Finals held June 9-13.
The National History Day National Finals are not just about choosing a winner, but an opportunity for students from around the country who have a passion for history to gather and celebrate their accomplishments and their enthusiasm.
The history competition is not focused on ancient history, or recent history, just history. One of it’s primary goals is to foster an appreciation for the value of history, and the skills needed in conducting primary and secondary research. Towards this end, students look through libraries, archives and museums, conduct oral history interviews, and visit historic sites. They then proceed through local and state competitions, and then on to the nationals.
The National History Day contest encompasses what the famed philosopher Cicero implied when he stated, “To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child.”
The VMS students are embracing the future while embracing the past, and for this contest three of the students chose the saga of the Morro Castle. The SS Morro Castle was a luxury ocean liner that caught fire on its regular route between New York City and Havana, Cuba – beaching herself during the tragedy off the shores of Asbury Park, NJ. http://www.njhm.com/morrocastle.htm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Morro_Castle_(1930)
The fourth student, Glynnis, chose a topic of more recent history concerning the Clearwater story and the revitalization of the Hudson river; this started back in the 1960s, and was originally led by the folk singer Pete Seeger. http://www.clearwater.org/about/the-clearwater-story/
Congratulations and good luck to the VMS students.
Editors Note: For those interested in history, there will be a lecture on June 19th “NJ at Gettysburg,” at Bergen Community College, 300 Paramus Road, Paramus. 7:30 pm. 201-447-7100 as part of the 150th anniversary of this historic battle.
Links
http://www.nhd.org/Contest.htm
http://www.nhd.org/
http://www.nhd.org/images/uploads/2010rulebook.pdf
http://www.northjersey.com/news/education/events/Statewide_history_competition_.html?page=all
Here is a link to the video “The Ripple Effect: The Story of The Clearwater” By Glynnis Gourhan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CYBb4HVOU8