Page 14 - The Wayne Dispatch

Stevenson students head to national competition

By Carolyn Marnon phibious invasion ever to occur. Just
For the first time since Wayne- knowing that made me want to learn
Westland schools started participat- more about Omaha Beach. One very
ing in History Day, two students will important strength that I gained
be heading to College Park, Mary- from experiencing NHD is public
land to compete in National History speaking. I now feel better speaking
Day at the University of Maryland in front of a group of people than I
June 9-13. The top two competitors did going into History Day. NHD has
in each category at the Michigan His- definitely helped me gain a better
tory Day state competition advance knowledge about my Grandparents
to the national event. and deeper appreciation for our his-
Stevenson Middle School eighth- tory.”
graders Alissa and Alana Gilder- Sharon Sullivan sums it all up.
sleeve finished in the top two in the “History Day is a wonderful opportu-
Group Exhibit category. The theme nity for students to dig deeper into
for the competition this year is “Tri- history topics that interest them. Stu-
umph and Tragedy in History.” 8th graders Alissa and Alana Gildersleeve with their group exhibit on Marie Curie dents learn life-long skills that they
Alissa and Alana researched the will use in high school and college. It
work of nobel-prize winning scientist who did research on radioactivity and won two Nobel Prizes in physics and chem- is wonderful to see their passion and
Marie Curie. A statement from the istry. creativity.”
girls reads: “Our names are Alana school competition in each category great grandparents were in any wars. The following Stevenson Middle
and Alissa Gildersleeve. We are going move on to the Regional History Day I found out that my great grandpar- School students placed in the top
to compete in Maryland for National competition. This year, Regionals ents were in World War II. When I three of their Regional History Day
History Day! We chose Marie Curie was at the Detroit Historical Mu- read more about WWII, I came category and represented Stevenson
as our topic for NHD since our seum. The top three at Regionals across information related to Omaha Middle School and Wayne-Westland
grandfather had the same illness headed to Michigan History Day. Beach and started to wonder what it Community Schools at the State
(aplastic anemia) that Marie Curie The students also worked with li- was. Michigan History Day competition.
died from. Thankfully, our grandfa- brarian Kathy McComb. Sharon says After looking up more about
ther was able to get radiation treat- Kathy is vital for this project. “She Omaha Beach, I became very inter- Group Documentary
ment due to Marie Curie’s studies. sets up websites, teaches about pri- ested and chose that as my topic for 7th grade Audrea Beene and Jo-
We chose to work together since we mary and secondary sources, how to National History Day. Having my lene Tran Vietnamese Immigration
are twins. Being partners was the make an annotated bibliography. great grandparents in mind, I won-
logical thing for us to do. It was re- We’d be lost without her.” dered if they happened to be around Individual Documentary
ally cool to find out that Marie Curie The students are interviewed by Omaha Beach during that time. As I 8th grade Teya Adham There is
used to carry test tubes filled with ra- judges at each level of the competi- researched more about my great No Alice Paul, There is Suffrage
dium in her pockets. Some of her tion. They can then use the informa- grandparents, I found out that my 7th grade Brady Isaacson The In-
clothes are still radioactive today. tion they have gleaned from that Great Grandpa Kowalski happened vasion of Poland by Germany 1929
Overall we had a great time compet- interview to further work on their to be in a city right next to Omaha 7th grade Savannah Brinkmeier
ing in National History Day, and project and fix it before the next level Beach only three months after the in- Korea under Japanese Rule
bonding with friends.” of competition. vasion on Normandy Beach. I have
Local students who competed at Last year, then-7th grade student learned many important facts about Group Exhibit
Michigan History Day on Saturday, Greta Diroff did her presentation on Omaha Beach, but one of them that 8th grade Alana and Alissa
April 27, are involved in accelerated Rosie the Riveter. She contacted the really got me intrigued was that Gildersleeve Marie Curie: A Great
social studies at Stevenson Middle Yankee Air Museum for help. At the Omaha Beach had the largest am- Discovery With A Tragic Ending
School. Once per week during their state competition, Greta won the Elly
social studies class-time, the stu- Peterson Award for Michigan
dents devote their time to working Women’s History. She donated her
on a project that explores local, state, display to the museum to be added
national and world history. to their Rosie the Riveter display.
8th grade teacher Sharon Sulli- This year, Greta is doing a presenta-
van and 7th grade teacher Lynn tion on Japanese internment camps.
D’Angelo started the program four Sharon says Greta met someone at
years ago. This will be the 4th year Regionals who led her to someone
their students have competed at the with a personal connection which
state level. she is adding to her display for State.
There are five categories a stu- Sharon says students should be
dent can compete in: an individually passionate about whatever topic they
written paper, a documentary (group choose to explore. 8th grader Madi-
and individual), website (group and son Sullivan (no relation to Sharon)
individual), exhibit board (group and said “When I heard our topic was Tri-
individual) and performance. The umph and Tragedy, I thought of
top three competitors at the middle major wars, and wondered if my

14 · May 2019 · The Wayne Dispatch