Humanities freshmen and juniors are advancing to the National History Day competition, after earning first and second place winnings at Maryland History Day. 

Humanities freshmen Laura Civilico and Chloe Chang have advanced in the Senior Paper division. Humanities juniors Ava Milisits, Rhia Basit, and Kyna Owusu have advanced in the group exhibit division, and Christopher Yeung and Nora Rudman have advanced in the group website division.

Maryland History Day is an annual event that celebrates the rich heritage and encourages historical exploration among students. As part of the National History Day program, this competition invites students from across the state to delve into the theme of “Frontiers and Pioneers” and present their findings in various formats. Humanities junior Nora Rudman shares the topic of her group website under this year’s theme.

“We created a website about Disneyland and how it was a pioneer in the amusement park industry,” said Rudman. “I don’t think most people realize that Disneyland was the first theme park ever, and it completely changed the game as far as the culture surrounding entertainment and destination vacations.”

From school to county, and then the state competition, Maryland History Day offers a platform for young historians to showcase their research, critical thinking, and creative skills. Humanities freshman Chloe Chang shares her experience with presentations and judging.

“It was definitely more comfortable at the school level and the county level,” said Chang. “The county level was complete with a formal interview, but it was really a brief conversation about my research and experience.” 

The culmination of months of research and preparation leads to the Maryland History Day state-level competition. Here, students face a broader audience, showcasing their historical findings to peers, teachers, parents, and community members. 

“The state level was where it really kicked in,” said Chang. “I was participating in a serious competition with expert judges scrutinizing my paper.”

The Humanities freshman presented their findings in the form of research papers, while juniors had a wider range of presentation options: a website, exhibit, performance, or documentary. Humanities junior Christopher Yeung shares why he and his partner chose a website format.

“At first we wanted to make an exhibit,” said Yeung. “But then we decided that while we were

planning it’d be better to make a website since it would be easier to work on when we’re

not together.”

This competition fosters an atmosphere of intellectual curiosity and friendly competition, as students present their research to a panel of esteemed judges.