On the Scene at National History Day: Day One
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Greetings from this year’s National History Day contest! Maryland’s 55 participants have arrived and begun to register, set up their exhibits, and swap buttons with students from each of the other states. Despite some intense humidity, the students have been bubbling with enthusiasm.
The annual Maryland delegation reception was a success in its new location: the air conditioned Tydings Hall. Almost 100 students, parents, siblings and teachers stopped by to enjoy refreshments, meet other Maryland participants, get some last-minute coaching from Mr. John Willard, and pick up a History Day teddy bear. Among the guests were Mack Godfrey of Columbia Gas of Maryland, who drove from Pittsburgh to judge at the contest for the 16th year, as well as Susan Hottle-Schultz of St. Mary’s School in Annapolis, one of Maryland’s two Behring Teachers of the Year.
A “special guest” was announced at the opening awards ceremony; the guest is actually one of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence on loan from Norman Lear. The document, one of only 25 known to exist, will be displayed Monday through Wednesday.
The national competition officially kicked off with a festive, brief opening ceremony. Jim Leach, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (and a visitor to the MHC offices this spring), spoke about the role of history in contemporary decision-making and the importance of historical studies in these students’ future endeavors.
Tags: History Day, National History Day
June 14th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
When in the Course of human events National History Day comes around, everyone should attend! This is a really fun group event and it’s my son’s first time participating at the national level. The air on McKeldin Mall last night was humming with excitement and energy for the opening ceremony. The teens are intensely interested in collecting buttons from every sate and territory mentioned. After Amercia Samoa’s group was called, the teens’ race across the field to that territory’s representatives was impressive. But, these young people are also intent on the more serious side of it. the applause was probably the loudest as the week’s special guest was introduced–Norman Lear’s copy of the Declaration of Independence to hang in the Stamp student union. It’s a fitting loan since we all feel like we’re “all in the family” this week.