RALEIGH – Blackbeard, President Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Ford, and Dr. Seuss are among subjects for middle and high school students as they prepare for National History Day Competition. The 2009 theme is “The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies.” District competitions for National History Day in North Carolina start March 20, and winners advance to the state competition on April 25.
National History Day is a rigorous academic program that challenges students to study history topics in depth. The students use primary and secondary sources to delve into a chosen topic that relates to the annual theme. A project is crafted in one of five categories: historical papers, exhibits, documentaries, Web sites, or performances. Students employ several objectives in the state Standard Course of Study while completing the projects, including research, reading comprehension, organization, and critical thinking. Approximately 1,000 North Carolina students participate.
A panel of judges provides feedback to help students improve their projects. The top projects move on to the next level of competition. The Office of Archives and History in the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources administers the program.
Some schools hold competitions to determine which projects move on to the district level. District competitions are sponsored by UNC-Greensboro (March 20); Cape Fear Museum, Wilmington (March 31); UNC-Charlotte (April 2); Western Office of Archives and History, Asheville (April 4); and East Carolina University, Greenville (April 8). Schools participating are:
Central Piedmont District (UNC-Greensboro)
Meadowlark Middle, Winston-Salem
Davis Christian, Raleigh (homeschool)
Greensboro Academy
Ragsdale High School, Archdale
Raleigh Charter High School
Greensboro Goldin School (homeschool)
Southwest Piedmont (UNC-Charlotte)
Shelby HS (Shelby)
Northwest School of the Arts, Charlotte
Carolina International School, Harrisburg
North Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte
Charlotte Catholic High School, Charlotte
Alexander Graham Middle School, Charlotte
Southwest M.S., Charlotte
Woodlawn School, Davidson
Mallard Creek High School, Charlotte
Western (Archives and History, Asheville)
A. C. Reynolds High School, Asheville
A. C. Reynolds Middle School, Asheville
Asheville Christian Academy, Asheville
Cane Creek Middle School, Fletcher
C. D. Owen High School, Black Mountain
C. D. Owen Middle School, Black Mountain
Holy Family Homeschool, Hendersonville
Soterian Academy (Homeschool), Mills River
St. Dominic Savio Home School, Hendersonville
Swain County Middle School, Bryson City
T. C. Roberson High School, Asheville
Thomas Academy (Homeschool), Saluda
Northeast (East Carolina University, Greenville)
St. Peters, Greenville
Greene Middle, Snow Hill
Greene Central, Snow Hill
Ayden-Grifton High, Ayden
Rose High, Greenville
CM Eppes, Greenville
Central Middle, Gatesville
Southeast (Cape Fear Museum, Wilmington)
New Hanover High, Wilmington
Cape Fear Academy, Wilmington
Swansboro High School
Wilton Middle School, Wilmington
Winning students will move to the state competition at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on April 25. Of these approximately 50 students will advance to represent North Carolina at the national academic competition in College Park, Md., June 14-18.
For additional information call Jo Ann Williford, (919) 807-7284. The Office of Archives and History is within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Now podcasting 24/7 with information about the Department of Cultural Resources available at www.ncculture.com.