Knowledge of past propels student to future contest

The Hubbard sophomore is preparing for a national history competition.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- When Brendan Keiper heard Hubbard High School's name announced as a first-place winner in a state history competition, he thought a fellow student had won.
"I was in shock. I couldn't believe I won," recalled Brendan, whose history paper captured top honors May 8 at State History Day competition in Columbus.
Brendan thought Jason Tingler, a fellow student who wrote about the Russian Red Army and the only other Hubbard student in the competition, had won.
Now, Brendan will compete June 13 to 17 at the University of Maryland for the National History Day event when he enters his paper, "Two Evils, One Impact."
The composition tells the story of a young Japanese boy on his way to school in Hiroshima, and the bombardier of the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city Aug. 6, 1945.
Areas of interest
The 16-year-old sophomore, son of Bob and Colleen Keiper of Saul Drive, first became interested in history in the fourth grade while studying Ohio history.
In the seventh grade, he look a liking to studying World War II and the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan.
He gives credit to his eighth-grade American history teacher, Kelly Komlanc, for steering him in the right direction.
"As I got into the material, she pushed me to go as far as I can," Brendan said.
He also watched the History and Discovery channels, learning how events of the past, such as the American Revolutionary War, affect events of today.
During the state competition, Brendan didn't believe he was going to win.
"I was really negative. They really grilled me," Brendan said of the judges. "I didn't think I was going to make it."
For the national competition next month in College Park, Md., Brendan said he won't make any changes in his paper, although they are allowed.
Career plans
Despite his interest, Brendan doesn't plan on making history his career. "I like history, but I'm better off as it being a hobby," he explained.
Rather, Brendan plans to attend Youngstown State University, majoring in music education with a minor in childhood education.
Brendan is active in school and the community, playing the tuba on the high school marching, pep and symphonic bands. He is a member of the varsity swimming team, an Eagle Scout, junior assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 42 in Liberty and a deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Hubbard.
He's a member of the teen advisory board at the Hubbard Public Library and was a student ambassador in Australia in 2003 as part of the People to People program.
yovich@vindy.com