April 25, 2024
Congratulations to tenth graders Nom-Ujin Byambatsogt and Cosmo Vanzyl, who participated in the annual History Day state competition over the weekend! Out of hundreds of submissions, Cosmo received fourth place and Nom-Ujin received seventh! Picking a different theme each year, this edition of History Day settled on “Turning Points in History,” where students nationwide select a topic to research. Following the decision on the subject, students entering the event must pick different formats, including a 1500-2500-word research paper, a 500-word exhibit, a 10-minute documentary, a website, or a 10-minute performance.
“I have all my tenth-grade students write the research paper in the fall, and they have the option of whether or not they want to participate in the History Day competition,” said Summer McCall, teacher and longtime supporter of the event.
Deciding to enter and advancing to state on April 20, Cosmo and Nom-Ujin were interviewed by four judges about each of their papers before hearing about their top-10 placements. Despite barely missing out on trips to nationals, with only the top two moving on, McCall had some encouraging words for what Cosmo and Nom-Ujin had accomplished.
“The organizers at History Day said the kids competing at the competition represented the top six percent of the competitors in the state,” McCall said. “Super cool and so fun to represent our school in that way.”
