25 Aldine ISD Students Advance to National History Day Competition at the University of Maryland in June

The National Contest is the final stage that began in classrooms and local contests around the world.

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[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]A[/dropcap]fter spending months researching and competing, 25 Aldine ISD students will head to Maryland. They are eager to show their hard work at the National Contest this summer.

The students advanced after taking home first and second place wins at the state competition held on April 29 in Austin. The [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Texas State Historical Association’s Annual Texas History Day took place at the Bullock Texas State History Museum and the University of Texas.

Now, they prepare for a larger stage. Each year nearly 3,000 students with their families and teachers gather at the University of Maryland, College Park for the week-long event. These enthusiastic groups come from all 50 United States, Washington, D.C., Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and international schools in China, Korea, South Asia, and Central America. 

[icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]National History Day is set for June 11-15 in College Park, Maryland. 

AISD Projects Advancing to NHD

1st Place — Victor Wang
Category: Senior Individual Website
Project — A Stand in the Skies: Air Traffic Controllers
Campus — Nimitz HS
Teacher — Barbi Binnig

1st Place — Carolina Chala
Category: Senior Individual Exhibit
Project — A Stand in the Borderlands
Campus — Nimitz HS
Teacher — Barbi Binnig

1st Place — Michael Avila, Anna de la Cuesta & Hannah Omoruyi
Category: Junior Group Documentary
Project — Women of Liberia’s Mass Action for Peace
Campus — Lewis MS
Teacher — LaShel Jackson

1st Place — Karen Cordova
Category: Junior Individual Exhibit
Project — The Children’s Crusade of 1963
Campus — Shotwell MS
Teacher — Monica Blackshire

2nd Place — Gladys Barrera, Heidy Godoy, Vyanca Carter, Judit Urrea & Elvis Laniez
Category: Senior Group Website
Project — He Stood Against Them All: H. L. Mencken
Campus — Nimitz HS
Teacher — Barbi Binnig

2nd Place — Brianna Garcia, Abigail Tack, Ivan Huerta, Celeste Carter & Isaiah Thomas
Category: Senior Group Exhibit
Project — Defender of the Everglades
Campus — Nimitz HS
Teacher — Barbi Binnig

2nd Place — Edith Hernandez, Jackie Hernandez, Jennifer Soriana, Angel Martinez & Andres Rendon
Category: Senior Group Performance
Project — The Stand of the Sisters
Campus — Nimitz HS
Teacher — Barbi Binnig

2nd Place — Keilly Irlas, Eva Davila, Tiffany Martinez & Christina Duong
Category: Junior Group Exhibit
Project — Mamie Till: The Refusal to be Silenced
Campus — Shotwell MS
Teacher — Monica Blackshire

(The program directors provided the list of winners.)

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History is more than mere facts and dates. Students learn to dig deeper into historical content to develop perspective and understanding, while developing essential critical thinking skills.

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Each year more than 60,000 Texas students join more than 500,000 students across the country to actively engage in yearlong research, interpretation, and creative expression through the National History Day program.

Aldine ISD students also earned third and fourth place finishes as well as 14 special awards at the state event.

Other State History Day Highlights

3rd Place — Laila Adams
Category — Junior Individual Documentary
Project — Joan Mulholland: Taking a Stand for Racial Equality
Campus — Lewis MS
Teacher — Angel Flores

3rd Place — Suchanut Namcharoen
Category — Junior Individual Paper
Project — Betty Friedan: The Picture of Femininity
Campus — Shotwell MS
Teacher — Monica Blackshire

3rd Place — Kolby Patton
Category — Junior Individual Interpretive Website
Project — Helen Keller: Activist Against Injustice
Campus — Drew Academy
Teacher — Katherine Montenegro

4th Place — Alicia Garza & Aaliyah Callaway
Category — Junior Group Performance
Project — Jesse Owens and the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Campus — Grantham Academy
Teacher — Dylan Kane

Special Award: Outstanding Junior Division Entry from Aldine Region
Students — Ivana Carrington & Anisia McKeever
Category: Junior Group Performance
Project — Elizabeth Blackwell: A Pioneer Woman
Campus: Parker Intermediate
Sponsor: Angela Gloria

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Students — Jennifer Guerrero & Hailey Robinson
Category — Junior Group Documentary
Project — Jane Addams and the Hull House
Campus — Grantham Academy
Teacher — Dylan Kane

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Students — Maria Camacho, Miriam Lopez & Nicole Mireles
Category — Junior Group Website
Project — Joan Trumpauer Mulholland: A Woman Who Stood Up for Equal Rights
Campus — Reed Academy
Teacher — Jan Martinez

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Student — Roxanna Mendez
Category — Junior Individual Website
Project — The Denmark Underground Resistance
Campus — Hambrick MS
Teacher — Melissa Neely

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Student — Miguel Chacon
Category — Junior Individual Paper
Project — Horace Mann: The Great Equalizer
Campus — Stovall MS
Teacher — Dan Perugini

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Student — Isabel Rivas
Category — Senior Individual Documentary
Project — First Lady of the Highways
Campus — Nimitz HS
Teacher — Barbi Binnig

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Students — Katalina Duran, Sonya Marroquin-Duran, Carmen Pineda, Ayiana Stubblefield & Natalia Vargas
Category — Senior Group Performance
Project — ¡Viva Cristo Rey!
Campus — Nimitz Ninth Grade School
Teacher — Rick Cheplick

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Student — Alijah Henderson
Category — Senior Individual Performance
Project — Standing in the Shadows: A Man Who Changed History
Campus — Hall Center for Education
Teachers — Gerald Schattle & Linda Kleeman

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Student — Eric Servin
Category — Senior Individual Performance
Project — Tinker vs DesMoines
Campus — MacArthur HS
Teacher — Julie Thoma

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Students — Janet Bernal, Brenda Farfan, Yajaira Horta & Denise Lopez
Category — Senior Group Exhibit
Project — A Step Closer to Unity in Central High
Campus — Nimitz Ninth Grade School
Teacher — Rick Cheplick

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Students — Jailene Figueroa & Nellys Montano
Category — Senior Group Website
Project — Judy Blume
Campus — MacArthur HS
Teacher — Julie Thoma

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Student — Juana Garcia
Category — Senior Individual Paper
Project — Simon Bolivar the Liberator
Campus — Carver HS
Teacher — Todd Gonion

Special Award: Distinguished Achievement
Student — Olivia Gonzales
Category — Junior Individual Documentary
Project — The Women’s Army Corp: Taking a Stand for the Right to Serve
Campus — Parker Intermediate School
Teacher — Angela Gloria

Special Award — Distinguished Achievement
Students — Ivana Carrington & Anisia McKeever
Category — Junior Group Performance
Project — Elizabeth Blackwell: A Pioneer Woman
Campus — Parker Intermediate School
Teacher — Angela Gloria

Every year, National History Day (NHD) frames students’ research within a historical theme. The 2017 theme is “Taking a Stand 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.

Congratulations! And Good luck at National History Day!

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

How Does Taking Part in History Fair Benefit Students?

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.

Taking part in National History Day program boosts school performance and job skills. A study shows that NHD students perform better on high-stakes tests. The students develop into better writers as well as more confident and capable researchers. Student also develop a more mature perspective on current events. They are also have higher civic engagement than their peers. Other skills gained include collaboration, time management and perseverance. These are all skills employers say are lacking in today’s workforce.

NHD Works: A Few Findings From the Study

• 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.

• Students are better writers, who write with a purpose and real voice. They collect solid evidence to support their point of view.

• Students are critical thinkers who can digest, analyze and synthesize information.

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