History Put on Display by Proud Students
This year’s National History Day festivities drew a packed house to the School Heritage Museum at Huntington High School as students discussed and displayed a variety of research projects before the top ones were presented with awards.
Parents and family members said it was exciting to see so many teenagers engaged in historical research and complimented the finished products. Many students who weren’t involved in the competition turned out for the awards presentation in a show support for friends.
Social studies teacher Lauren Desiderio took command of the high school’s National History Day club this year after colleague Camille Tedeschi passed off the baton following a long stretch of service. Teacher Esmeralda Tello heads a similar group at J. Taylor Finley Middle School called the Yorker club. This year’s NHD competition drew a number of entries from Finley students. The teachers have been successful at reviving interest in NHD, which is a national initiative.
The top place finishers will now advance to the Long Island regional finals at Hofstra University in March. The state finals are slated for Cooperstown in May and the national championship will be held in June on the campus of the University of Maryland at College Park.
“Projects such as these require dedication, a strong work ethic, and a love of history,” Mrs. Desiderio said. “The students who participated in National History Day this year went above and beyond to create well-researched and creative projects. Without the participation and determination of the 80 students who participated, this night would not have been possible. I congratulate all on their hard work and look forward to working with those students whose projects were selected to move onto Hofstra.”
Participants were happy to discuss their projects with anyone willing to listen. The teenagers said the research experience was draining but they were glad to have taken up the challenge.
“National History Day was a rewarding experience for me,” said Esti Lodge, who together with partner Rebecca Leach won the website category. “Even though it was hard work and at times I felt like giving up, it was great to know that all of our hard work paid off. I am so happy and cannot wait for Hofstra!”
Many students entered the new website category this year, creating colorful websites containing separate pages to showcase different aspects of their research. Teams of teachers spent hours reviewing all entries and using complicated scoring rubrics to determine the award winners.
“Knowing you succeeded is a wonderful feeling, but knowing you had fun and worked hard is an accomplishment,” said Brittany Robinson-Smikle, who earned second place honors in the website category.
Among the projects on display was a mock atomic bomb. The project by students Diana Harvey and Chris Napolitano delved into the controversial aspects of “the bomb” and caught the attention of nearly everyone filing into the School Heritage Museum.
“History Day gave me the chance to study a topic I was not that familiar with,” said Kevin Maier. “I enjoyed constructing my exhibit and this opportunity provided me with a chance to not only research but to also work hands-on.”
Most of the students spent months conducting research for their projects, with some beginning work last summer. That exceptional commitment impressed many parents and teachers in the crowd.
“History Day has been a journey in itself, starting in the summer and continuing on through the winter,” said Holly Blakley, who placed second in the group documentary category. “It’s taken an immense amount of time and effort but in the end it paid off by winning us a spot at Hofstra.”
As the evening neared its conclusion, Mrs. Desiderio admitted the experience has been draining for her, too, since she has been simultaneously advising dozens of students on their projects, organizing the competition and final evaluations and has still nneded to prepare lessons for her five classes each day. But, she said “it was well worth the effort.”
The crowd included former NHD participant and 2008 valedictorian Madeleine Jensen, who is now a Columbia University sophomore. Participants ate up all the attention and beamed through the applause.
The initiative seeks to make history more relevant for students and requires them to use a variety of practical and creative skills during the development of their projects. “National History Day really connects history to today and how the innovations of the past impact our daily lives,” Jake Wohl said.
“The growth and success of this program has been remarkable,” said Joseph Leavy, district director of humanities. “From just a few middle school students in the late 1990s to upwards of 70 to 80 students participating in each of the past several years. “Of course, congratulations are in order for Lauren Desiderio for coordinating the program and carrying on the successes of Ms. Tedeschi who grew the program over the past few years. We are very proud of the accomplishments of the students whose research and presentations have, in many cases, been on the collegiate level.”
The top finishers in each category included:
Junior Division
Historical Paper:
1. Meaghan Lawlor: Edward Jenner and the Smallpox Vaccine
2. Thomas Kouttron: The Diesel Engine
3. Akira Watkins: Anti-Depressants: Are They Really Good For You?
Documentary:
1. Noah Hanke
Senior Division
Historical Paper:
1. Amy Eisen: The Armory Show: Modern Art in All Aspects of Design
2. Stefan Drakulich: The Invention of Nikolas Tesla’s Radio
3. Dylan Thiemann: The Steam Locomotive: Revolution in Transportation
Website:
1. Esti Lodge and Rebecca Leach: Camera
2. Brittany Robinson-Smikle: PET Scan: New Hope for Cancer
3. Lauren Boyce: Sputnik: A Source of American Fear and Innovation
Individual Documentary:
1. Madison Biernacki: Beatles
2. Alexis Weitzner: Camera/Click
3. Jennifer Polsteri: Suspension Bridges
Group Documentary:
1. Teddy Lyons, Brandon Fiordelisi, Cole Cook: Lunar Eagle Module
2. Holly Blakley, Bianca Iarrobino, Justin Loscalzo: the Assembly Line
3. Ryan Ackerman, Danny McQuade: Ronald Ross and the Pathway to the Pacific
Individual Exhibit:
1. PJ Hofsiss: the Steam Engine
2. Jake Wohl: Small Pox Vaccine
3. Jacob Roday: the Higgins Boat
Group Exhibit:
1. Brielle Blatt, Brad Dwyer: The Whaling Industry
2. Chris Napolitano, Diana Harvey: Atomic Bomb: A Controversial Power
3. Kelsey Getz, Jackie Herrington: Heart Stopping: the Pacemaker
Special Awards:
Best Global Topic (9th Grade):
Andrea Cerini: Some Like It Haute
Best Global Topic (10th Grade):
Jenny Asaro/Erin LaSorsa: Bob Dylan: An Innovative Musician
Best Topic in American History Junior Division:
Noah Hanke: The First Video Game
Best Topic in American History Senior Division:
Rebecca Deegan: The American Zoo: The End of Man vs. Wild
Military History Award:
Andrew Funk: How Man Got His Wings
African-American History Award:
Jonah Kramer: Racism the Musical?
Clio Award:
Jessica Flores/Danielle Schultz: Blue Jeans: A Basic Essential for Everyday Fashion
Jack Abrams Local History Award:
Melanie Grossman: Levittown: A True American Suburb
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