On March 6, SUNY Fredonia’s Department of History will host the regional competition for this year’s National History Day, a year-long educational program sponsored by the New York State Historical Association. It encourages middle and high school students to explore local, state, national and world history.
After selecting a historical topic that relates to an annual theme, students conduct extensive research by using libraries, archives, museums, and oral history interviews. Students analyze and interpret their findings, draw conclusions about their topics’ significance in history, and create final projects that present their work. These projects can be entered into a series of competitions, from the local to the national level, where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators.
SUNY Fredonia’s Department of History presents an award for the best exhibit which focuses on Minority History at the statewide competition. First- and second-place winners in Cooperstown go on to compete in the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest, held at the University of Maryland in College Park.
This year’s theme is "Innovations in History," and the public is invited to view the student projects from 1 to 2 p.m. in E-305 Thompson Hall.
Each year, more than a half million students across the U.S. participate in National History Day. They have many options for presenting their research and their conclusions. Working individually or as a group, juniors (grades 6-8) or seniors (grades 9-12) can produce a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website. They are also required to submit a process paper which explains why they chose their topic, how they conducted their research, and what they learned from their sources. Those students who finish in first or second place in their category (among 16 total categories) at the regional competition go on to the statewide competition in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Students have found the competition very valuable. One participant said, "I have learned there is always a different side to the story that's just under the surface that's waiting to be discovered, and that no opinion is not worth at least some level of consideration, no matter how outlandish it may seem."
Students, teachers, and parents who would like to be involved with the National History Day competition in 2011 should contact Jennifer Hildebrand at jennifer.hildebrand@fredonia.edu or 716-673-3274.
