YSU History Day brings out best in Northeast Ohio

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State University’s history department hosted the 36th annual History Day earlier this month.

The coordinator of this annual event is Bonita Harris. Students from Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Mahoning, Portage and Trumbull counties participated by writing papers, preparing exhibits or documentary entries that related to the national and state theme for 2011, “Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences.”

Participating students represented public and private schools and included grade levels from six through 12. State Sen. Capri Cafaro, D-32nd, and Mary Bezbatchenko, state coordinator of History Day, were judges.

The winners were announced to 500 students, parents and teachers in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center.

Winners received awards of cash, medals and certificates. The first- and second-place winners in documentary, exhibit, paper and website categories will participate in the state contest Saturday at Columbus State Community College. From June 12-16, the finalists of the state contest will compete in the national contest at the University of Maryland.

The purpose of History Day is to encourage students to investigate some aspect of history pertinent to this year’s theme, encourage students to prepare exhibits, papers, performances and documentary presentations related to a historical theme and stimulate greater interest in the application of history among young people by encouraging them to become involved in historical studies and methods outside the classroom.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed National History Day on the Advisory List of National Contests and Activities. In addition, the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, and the National Council for the Social Studies sponsor the program nationally.

National History Day also is the recipient of the Award of Merit of the American Association for State and Local History. The National Endowment for the Humanities provided major support during years of expansion.

YSU’s history department and the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor sponsors the event locally.

The Mahoning Valley Historical Society honored the following students for outstanding entries that focused on local history:

Senior Division, Katelyn Schoenike, Springfield Local High School, “Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. vs. Sawyer,” and Emily Schueller, Boardman High School, “CIO vs. Little Steel: Debate about 1937 Strike. Junior Division, first place, Tiffany Childs, Holy Family School, “Little Steel Strike.”

PAPERS Senior Division, Tristen Sweitzer, first place, CHEC Homeschool, Monica Patrick, second place, South Range High School and Abby Stein, third place, Hubbard High School.

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITS Junior Division, Tiffany Childs, first place, Holy Family School. Senior Division, Christina Leckfor, first place, Hubbard High School; Emily Schueller, second place, Boardman High School; Hollie Baker, third place, Hubbard High School; and honorable mention, Alexander Waggoner, CHEC, and Katelyn Schoenike, Springfield Local High School.

GROUP EXHIBITS Junior Division, John Brennan, Matthew Daprile, Hannah Frisone and Connor Frisone, Holy Family School, first place; Anthony Ricciardi, Isabella Ricottilli and Liborio Ricottilli, Holy Family School, second place; and Patrick Brennan, Robert Kurta, Jay Raymer and Alex Wollet, Holy Family School, third place. Senior Division, Kaitlyn Evans, Maggie Logan and Sarah Tombo, Hubbard High School, first place; Heather Inglis, Katelyn Kasula, Nathan Moffitt and Jessica Patrick, Hubbard High School, second place; Catherine Evan, Rachel Hilderbrand and Ashli Vinkler, Springfield Local High School, third place; and Jessica Marando, Celissa Martinez, Taylor Novotny and Alyssa Sikora, Hubbard High School; Amanda Lopuchovski and Shelby Norris, Hubbard High School; Samantha Dudley and Courtney Hicks, Hubbard High School; and Lillian Hetson, Kailyn Hill, Rachel Maas and Maris Sarisky, Hubbard High School, all honorable mention.

INDIVIDUAL DOCUMENTARY PRESENTATIONS Junior Division, Angela Buzzacco, first place, Springfield Intermediate School.

Senior Division, Jessica Roller, Hubbard High School, first place; and Shoshanna Kifer, Hubbard High School, second place.

GROUP DOCUMENTARY PRESENTATIONS Senior Division, Anthony Buzzacco and Olivia Buzzacco, Springfield Local High School, first place; Michael Bliss, Catie Devine, Tabitha DiBacco and Joseph Spurio, Hubbard High School, second place; and Bryan Aaron, Bill Green, Herman Horkey and Kevin Lawson, Hubbard High School, third place.

WEBSITE Junior Individual Division, Michael Angiolelli, Holy Family School, first place. Senior Individual Division, Stephen Sharkey, CHEC Homeschool, first place. Junior Group Website, Alexis Schneider, Gracey White and Kelly Patrick, South Range Middle School, first place. Senior Group Website, Sarah Dombrowski and Nicole Miller, CHEC Homeschool, first place; Michaela Birti, Allison Dombrowski and Gabrielle Weaver, CEHC Homeschool, second place; and Cristal Hale and Mia Echwvarria, Hubbard High School, third place.