35 History Fair Projects Advance to State Competition

The history fair program prepares students for college by developing research and communication skills. Students also increase their understanding of history while honing decision-making skills.

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[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]T[/dropcap]he second major round of history fair competition judging is over. AISD has 35 student projects advancing to the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Texas History Day contest.

Students advanced to the regional contest after qualifying at the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]district competition. More than 140 students earned first, second, third and honorable mention medals. The top two winners in each category now have their eyes on the state event. State competitors who place first and second will advance to the national contest. The [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]national competition is held each June at the University of Maryland.

Every year, [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]National History Day (NHD) frames students’ research within a historical theme. The 2016 theme is “Exploration, Encounter & Exchange in History.”

Their research of the past helps them gain a better understanding of our world today. The goal is that students develop an understanding of people and societies.

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Research shows National History Day program boosts school performance and job skills.

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There is [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]research to back the value of taking part in history fair programs. It concludes that students who take part in the program do well in school.

The study shows that NHD students perform better on high-stakes tests. The students develop into better writers as well as more [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]confident and capable researchers. Students also develop a more mature perspective on current events. They also have higher civic engagement than their peers. Other skills gained include collaboration, time management and perseverance. These are all 21st century skills employers say are lacking in today’s workforce.

NHD Works: A Few Findings From the Study

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]NHD students outperform their non-NHD peers on state standardized tests. Not only do they do better in social studies, but in reading, science and math as well.[/li]

[li]NHD students are better writers, who write with a purpose and real voice. They collect solid evidence to support their point of view. [/li][/ul]

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]NHD students are critical thinkers who can digest, analyze and synthesize information.[/li][/ul]

As for the regional winners, they are not sitting around. They are busy polishing their projects for the state contest. Each year, more than 60,000 Texas students compete. Across the country, more than 500,000 take part in state contests. Students may qualify for many special awards at the state contest. The best entries from the paper category have a chance to be read by many. They may be eligible for publication in [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Texas Historian. This is the official journal of the Junior Historians of Texas.

The state competition is set for April 30 in Austin. The event will take place at the University of Texas and the Bullock Texas State History Museum.

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History is more than mere facts and dates. Students learn to dig deeper into [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]historical content to develop perspective and understanding.

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Congratulations and Good Luck @ Texas History Day!

Regional Results

Junior Categories

Group Documentary

1st Place — Darnell Celestin, Oscar Chagolla, Jordy Ceballos, Daniel Martinez & Ja’Quadry Limbrick
Project: Martyr of Science
Campus: Parker Intermediate School
Teacher: Molly Albers

2nd Place — Tiffany Gomez, Graciela DeLaCuesta & Karla Sanchez
Project: The Master of Silence
Campus: Parker Intermediate School
Teacher: Molly Albers

3rd Place (tied) — Sabrina Pedro, Giselle Villegas & Norma Rodriguez-Arguelles
Project — Encounters Between Law Enforcement and African Americans
Campus: Hambrick MS
Teacher: NaTonya Holmes

3rd Place (tied) — Heather Omouryi, Hannah Omouryi & Alessandra Segovia
Project: The Exploration Encounters of Alexandra David-Neel
Campus: Lewis MS
Teacher: Angel Flores

Honorable Mention (HM) — Michael Avila, Anna DeLaCuesta & Melisa Sanchez
Project: Athens vs. Sparta
Campus: Lewis MS
Teacher: Angel Flores

Individual Documentary

1st Place — Jasmine Vital
Project: Exploration in Medicine: Polio Vaccine
Campus: Teague MS
Teacher: Brandy Medus

2nd Place — Griselda Ortiz
Project: Apollo 11
Campus: Reed Academy
Teachers: Jan Martinez & James Logan

Group Performance

1st Place — Aaliyah Callaway & Alicia Garza
Project: Anne Frank
Campus: Reed Academy
Teachers: Jan Martinez & Ann Ceaser

2nd Place — Karen Zelaya, A’Mya Thompson & Britney Segovia
Project: Madam CJ Walker
Campus: Reed Academy
Teachers: Jan Martinez & Ann Ceaser

3rd Place — Hannah Sutton & Devina Soto
Project: Dealey Plaza
Campus: Hambrick MS
Teacher: NaTonya Holmes

HM — Brayan Moreno-Mares & Aaron Ramirez
Project: The Black Plague
Campus: Hambrick MS
Teacher: NaTonya Holmes

Individual Performance

1st Place — Laila Chinn
Project: The Fatal Deception
Campus: Grantham Academy
Teacher: Dylan Kane

2nd Place — Mayline Garcia
Project: Maria Curie
Campus: Reed Academy
Teachers: Jan Martinez & Ann Ceaser

3rd Place (tied) — Jessica Lozoya
Project: Behind the Shock
Campus: Grantham Academy
Teacher: Dylan Kane

3rd Place (tied) — Isabella D’Aubuisson
Project: Sacagawea
Campus: Rayford Intermediate School
Teacher: Jonita Blake

Historical Papers

1st Place — Suchanut Namcharoen
Project: Penicillin: A Medical Revelation
Campus: Shotwell MS
Teachers: Jerome Nickerson & Monica Blackshire

2nd Place — Kealana Wolfe
Project: The Louisiana Purchase
Campus: Teague MS
Teacher: Brandy Medus

3rd Place — Madison Flores
Project: World War 2 Brides
Campus: Hambrick MS
Teacher: NaTonya Holmes

Group Website

1st Place — Jon Castaneda, Nicolas Gonzales, Elizabeth Manriquez, Jillian Nguyen & Samantha Salazar
Project: Robert Ballard
Campus: Lewis MS
Teacher: LaShel Jackson

2nd Place — Jennifer Guerrero & America Flores
Project: Apollo 11
Campus: Reed Academy
Teacher: Jan Martinez

3rd Place — Jocelyn Goodman, Amari McKinney, Amere Hordge-Watkins & Corinthians Piete
Project: The Exploration of Women in the 1920s
Campus: Lewis MS
Teacher: Angel Flores

Individual Website

1st Place — Laila Adams
Project: Unsung Rosies
Campus: Rayford Intermediate School
Teacher: Jonita Blake

2nd Place — Roland Reyes
Project: Larry Itliong and the Delano Menongs
Campus: Teague MS
Teacher: Brandy Medus

3rd Place — Kolby Patton
Project: Lewis and Clark
Campus: Drew Academy
Teacher: Krystal Tates

HM — Aimee Mahindaratne
Project: Leonardo da Vinci
Campus: Reed Academy
Teacher: Jan Martinez

Group Exhibit

1st Place — Tatyana McClain & Han Van
Project: Percy Julian
Campus: Shotwell MS
Teachers: Monica Blackshire, Ellen Angel & Jerome Nickerson

2nd Place — Ariel Jacob, Daniela Gaspar & Erika Sanchez
Project: Union Pacific Railroad
Campus: Rayford Intermediate School
Teacher: Jonita Blake

3rd Place — Karen Cordova, Gabriela Gonzalez & Kathy Nguyen
Project: IB International Education
Campus: Shotwell MS
Teachers: Monica Blackshire & Ellen Angel

HM — Mia Paz, Anum Badat & Itzel Aguirre
Project: The Venetian Disaster
Campus: Plummer MS
Teacher: Kai Patterson

Individual Exhibit

1st Place — Ray Barrera
Project — Punch Drunk
Campus: Teague MS
Teacher: Brandy Medus

2nd Place — Huda Badat
Project: The Challenger Disaster
Campus: Wilson Intermediate School
Teacher: Matt Strommer

3rd Place — Eva Davila
Project: Minnie Fisher Cunningham
Campus: Wilson Intermediate School
Teacher: Matt Strommer

Senior Categories

Group Documentary

1st Place — Reece Brown, Paola Gomez, Esteban Ramirez, Yvonne Garcia & Gabriela Aguirre
Project: When East Meets West
Campus: Nimitz Ninth Grade School
Teachers: Rick Cheplick, Jim DiAngelo & Andrew Bernitt

2nd Place — Gerardo Salazar, Jennifer Soriano, Mayam Memon, Hector Salinas & Samuel Veloz
Project: A Place Where the Past Continues to Live
Campus: Nimitz HS
Teacher: Barbi Binnig

3rd Place — Jeffery Chaidez, Juan Herrera, Mike Galmamaz & Cristian Lara
Project: Plato o Plomo
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

HM — Joe Garcia & Bishop Pearsall
Project: Jobs EX3
Campus: Carver HS
Teachers: Todd Gonion & Phillips Harris

Individual Documentary

1st Place — Brent Vela
Project: The Fever of War
Campus: Nimitz HS
Teacher: Barbi Binnig

2nd Place — Ireneo Sanchez
Project: Voyagers 1 & 2
Campus: Davis HS
Teacher: Bethany Wilson

Group Performance

1st Place — Jacqueline Hernandez, Ana Pedraza, Beatriz Lara, Monica Lopez & Estafani Tello
Project: The Recipe For Sesame Street
Campus: Nimitz HS
Teacher: Barbi Binnig

2nd Place — Bobby Morales, Shivani Patel, Meredith Ferreya, Guadalupe Hernandez & Bryant Leal
Project: The Lindy Hop
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

3rd Place — Brianna Rodriguez, Treat Carrier & Mykaelan Flourney
Project: Legendary Performers
Campus: Carver HS
Teachers: Todd Gonion & Mary Wright

HM — Lesly Arana, Kayla Mazariego & Ellian Gomez
Project: Osa Johnson
Campus: Davis Ninth Grade School
Teacher: Marie Picklesimer

Individual Performance

1st Place — Luiz Jimenez
Project: The Fight in the Fields
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

Historical Paper

1st Place — Ihsan Shafi
Project: Space Exploration and Exchange
Campus: Carver HS
Teachers: Todd Gonion, Jessica Gray & Mary Wright

2nd Place — Heidy Godoy
Project: From Blight to Bountiful
Campus: Nimitz HS
Teacher: Barbi Binnig

3rd Place (tie) — Juana Garcia
Project: Dorothea Dix
Campus: Carver HS
Teachers: Todd Gonion & Phillip Harris

3rd Place (tie) — Angel Vega Torres
Project: The Lost Colony of Roanoke
Campus: Aldine Ninth Grade School
Teacher: Robert Humphreys

HM — Omar Romero
Project: The Black Market
Campus: Eisenhower Ninth Grade School
Teacher: Stephen Martin

Group Website

1st Place — Elvis Lainez, Vyanca Carlos, Dawayne Thomas, Gladys Gonzalez & Isaac Veloz
Project: The Shadow of Mt. Everest
Campus: Nimitz HS
Teacher: Barbi Binnig

2nd Place — Kaylah Anderson, Khairah Ali, Miguel Price, Daisy Aguilar & Siboney Flores
Project: Charles Darwin and Evolution
Campus: Carver HS
Teachers: Todd Gonion & Jessica Gray

3rd Place — Angel Tirado, Elionenai Garcia & Bryant Acosta
Project: The Marshall Plan
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

HM — Devanny Jimenez & Elena Giles
Project: Kennedy vs. Nixon Debates
Campus: Aldine Ninth Grade School
Teacher: Robert Humphreys

Individual Website

1st Place — Denisse Cordova
Project: Ada Lovelace
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

2nd Place — Jacob Peacock
Project: Dead Man’s Deception
Campus: Nimitz HS
Teacher: Barbi Binnig

3rd Place (tie) — Luis Moreno
Project: The Lomax Expedition
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

3rd Place (tie) — Joanna Jimenez
Project — Animation: The Art of Movement
Campus: Victory Early College HS
Teacher: Scott Groen

Group Exhibit

1st Place — Edith Hernandez, Celeste Carter, Brianna Garcia, Carolina Chala & Isaiah Thomas
Project: The Exploration of the American Woodsman
Campus: Nimitz HS
Teacher: Barbi Binnig

2nd Place — Arecely Lara, Alma Pena, Ingris Pereira & Ana Cahuantzi Juarez
Project: For Love and War
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

3rd Place (tie) — Abigail Tack, Katarina Fernandez, Isabel Rivas & Jennifer Sifuentes
Project: Beebe and Bartin
Campus: Nimitz Ninth Grade School
Teachers: Rick Cheplick & Jim DiAngelo

3rd Place (tie) — Victoria Smith & Kiran Kaleemuddin
Project: Iran Contra Affair
Campus: Carver HS
Teacher: Todd Gonion

Individual Exhibit

1st Place — Eric Pena
Project: NASA’s Manned Space Flight
Campus: MacArthur HS
Teacher: Julie Thoma

2nd Place — Shi Yu
Project: Jacques Cousteau
Campus: Nimitz Ninth Grade School
Teachers: Rick Cheplick & Jim DiAngelo

3rd Place — Eduardo Flores
Project: Leon Trotsky
Campus: Davis Ninth Grade School
Teacher: Marie Picklesimer

HM — Allen Singleton
Project: The Little Rock Nine Encounter
Campus: Carver HS
Teacher: Todd Gonion

(History program directors provided the list of winners.)

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History not only teaches students about the stories of our past, but is vital to creating a generation of young people who can apply these lessons to the future.

— Cokie Roberts, Author & Journalist