Last Weekend, 31 students went to Sacramento State University to compete in the state-level National History Day (NHD) contest. Each student talked with a panel of judges about their project and how it connected to this year’s theme, “Rights and Responsibilities.”
Some students were picked for the final round of judging. Congratulations to:
- Ryan Florentino – Individual Exhibition
- Magali Villegas – Individual Podcast
- Alan Cruz Sanchez, Magnuss Jansbergs, Alexandra Cantu, Michelle Moreno – Group Exhibition
- Justin Rodriguez – Individual Exhibition
NHD Advisor Tracy Teran said NHD teaches students all kinds of skills, such as research, writing, time management, and public speaking. She also loves that students get to choose their topics and how they want to present them.
One group stood out by creating a performance about the use of chemical weapons in the 1900s. Ms. Teran said their script was creative and well-researched, but all the students created innovative and interesting ideas for their projects.
“It was really exciting to see so many of our students make it to the final rounds,” she said. “They worked so hard and deserved it.”
Even if students didn’t win, Ms. Teran said the experience still taught them a lot. “I hope it helps students see that they’re part of history, too. And they still learn important skills like writing and teamwork.”
Ms. Teran gave a big thank you to Mr. Eren Montes and Mr. Ismael Hernandez for all their help. “They’re amazing. They stayed after school, helped research, graded projects on weekends, and even organized fundraisers.”
She also thanked the social science department, especially Mr. Jeff Harris, along with the district and school board, for supporting NHD. “It takes a whole team to make this happen. We do it for the students.”
To anyone thinking about joining next year, Ms. Teran says, “It’s an amazing experience, truly. You’ll learn a lot about history and even more about yourself.”
