Primary Sources History Day Competition
Primary Sources History Day Competition at California University of PA
Primary Sources History Competition at California University of PA is designed for students who have a special interest in social studies and a willingness to research, create, and share a project they are passionate about.
The competition gives local students an opportunity to develop as learners and to compete against one another and students from other area schools. It also helps to prepare them for entry into the regional National History Day at the Pittsburgh (NHD PITT) competition, which is held at the Senator John Heinz History Center in downtown Pittsburgh.
School district commitments
School district superintendants and principals need to commit to support for the project. There is a need to designate sponsor teachers for both the junior and senior levels. Administrators need to support limited teacher release time and approve transportation for students to attend the competition. Designated sponsor teachers will be responsible for learning the specifics of NHD competition and making time to mentor students to compete as well as accompany them to competitions. Students need to commit to learning about NHD and commit to preparing entries for the competition. Parents need to be informed so they can offer in-home support to students. Informing parents about NHD will be the school district’s responsibility and each district will determine who in the district is most appropriate for assuring the information is conveyed to parents.
If you need more information, contact Lynne Berdar at 724-938-6025 or email her at berdar@calu.edu
Prior Years Primary Source Competitions
2012
California University of Pennsylvania held its fifth annual Primary Source History Day competition on February 13, 2012.
There were students from Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Trinity, Sewickly Academy, and Uniontown at this year's competition. The theme for this year's competition was "Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History".
Senator John Heinz History Center Regional Competition is March 3rd & 4th, 2012
National History Day in Pennsylvania (State Competition) is May 4th & 5th, Cumberland Valley High School, Mechanicsburg, PA
The 2012 Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest will be held June 10 - 14, Univeristy of Maryland, College Park
Following are links to the students web pages designed for the Primary Source History Day competition at Cal U.
Home Plessy: Catalyst for Reaction and Reform - http://86502425.nhd.weebly.com/
The American Reaction to Pearl Harbor - http://23796984.nhd.weebly.com/
Burning Reaction: The First U.S. Crematorium - http://69786516.nhd.weebly.com/
The Whiskey Rebellion: A Revolutionizing Tax - http://44363370.nhd.weebly.com/
Ruby Bridges: The Girl Who Changed America - http://62639533.nhd.weebly.com/
The Boston Tea Party: The Reaction to British Taxes and the Revolution it Caused - http://57633012.nhd.weebly.com/
The Boston Tea Party: The Bridge Between Reaction & Revolution - http://76844262.nhd.weebly.com/
The Abandonment of Fort Duquesne - http://95906725.nhd.weebly.com/annotated-bibliograpy.html
Recreating Animation: Pixar - http://57404913.nhd.weebly.com/index.html
The Rainbow Revolution - http://12435751.nhd.weebly.com/
Reforming Asylums: Nellie Bly's Ten Days in a Madhouse - http://71420517.nhd.weebly.com/
Clara Barton: Johnstown Heroine - http://91186932.nhd.weebly.com/
Freedom Riders: Taking a Backseat to No One - http://24329364.nhd.weebly.com/
Walt Disney: Creating a Wonderful World for Us All - http://95184800.nhd.weebly.com/
A Super Deal Creates the Super Bowl - http://94591289.nhd.weebly.com/
The Patriot Act and Airport Security Controversy - http://63116846.nhd.weebly.com/
J.R.R. Tolkein: The Lord of Fantasy Novels - http://70991337.nhd.weebly.com/
John Hall and His Military Breechloaders: Interchangeable Parts Revolutionize the "American System" - http://50380965.nhd.weebly.com/
2011
Young historians attended the fourth annual California University of Pennsylvania Primary Sources History Day on February 14, 2011.
Sponsored by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program in collaboration with the Department of History and Political Science, the event is modeled after the National History Day Competition.
This year's contest mirrored the National History Day theme, which is "Debate and Diplomacy in History: Success, Failures and Controversy".
The following link is for a group performance from Bellmar Middle School on "An Uncertain Future: The Impact of the Fugitive Slave Act on the Underground Railroad". This performance took 2nd place at the Heinz History National History Day Competition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5pirsMRvs4
Following are links to the students web pages designed for the regional National History Day Competition.
The Acceptance of Rock n Roll - Ben Artuso, Cole Filer - Trinity Middle School
Broken Diplomacy: The Fort Laramie Treaty - Matthew Richmond, Jonathan Florian, Joshua Coatsworth - Trinity Middle School
Truman's Great Debate: The Atomic Bombs - Eva Gnegy, Delaney Elling - Trinity Middle School
The Clovis Debate - Carly Sonafelt, Nicole Selio - Bellmar Middle School
Curt Flood - Jared Zadronzy, Nolan Stulock, Billy Burrows - Bellmar Middle School
Rosa Parks - Kaitlin Slagus - Bellmar Middle School
Washington's Surrender at Fort Necessity - Vita Capozzi - Bellmar Middle School
Lincoln Douglas Debates - Ryan Popovec - Bellmar Middle School
Frederick Douglas - Bellmar Middle School
Gettysburg Battle - Bellmar Middle School
Antietam - Bellmar Middle School
Alcohol Energy Debate - Charleroi Middle School
Electoral College - Charleroi MIddle School
2010
Education and history intersected when 110 eighth grade students from Belle Vernon Area, Charleroi, Ringgold and Uniontown Area school districts competed in the third annual Primary Sources History Day contest in the Natali Performance Center at California University of PA.
First, second and third place medals were award in junior and senior divisions for outstanding exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites and research papers. All participants received framed certificates.
Judges and event volunteers included Cal U history and education students, University faculty, current and retired educators, and community members who belong to local historical societies.
2009
Middle and Secondary school students took part in the regional National History Day contest, held at California University of PA. The event is sponsored by the College of Education and Human Services' Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Program.
2008
Education and History intersected when eighth grade students from Belle Vernon’s Bellmar Middle School (BMS) and Charleroi Area Middle School (CMS) recently competed in the first-ever, Cal U-sponsored National History Day (NHD) competition.
Thirty-one students from Bellmar and five students from Charleroi entered the pilot program contest, which was modeled after the acclaimed National History Day competition. The 26 entries consisted of both individual and group projects in the following categories: Exhibits (17); Papers (6); Websites (2); and, a Performance (1).
Judging the entries were: Dr. Andrae Marak, History and Political Science Department Chairperson and Assistant Professor; Dr. Clarissa Confer, Assistant Professor, History and Political Science Department; Mr. Nick Roberts, Instructional Specialist, Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program, and Dr. Michael J. Brna, Director, Library of Congress TPS program. Assisting judges were Mrs. Donna Hoak, TPS Administrative Assistant, and Mr. Daniel Eyrolles, Secondary Education Social Studies major.
The project was spearheaded by the Library of Congress TPS department and supported by the History and Political Science and Secondary Education departments. Sponsoring Bellmar and Charleroi teachers came to campus in October, 2007, to receive orientation to the concept and discuss ways to implement the contest into the school curriculums. Mr. Ross Farmer was the BMS sponsor teacher and Ms. Jennifer Daum and Mrs. Laura Piecknick were the CMS sponsor teachers. Principal Steven Russell from Bellmar was also instrumental to integrating the project into the BMS curriculum.
National History Day Regional Competition Winners
California University of Pennsylvania held it's fifth annual Primary Source History Day Competition on February 13, 2012 at the Convocation Center.
The theme for this year's competition is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.
On March 3rd & 4th 2012 several students that participated in the Cal U competition went onto the regional competition at the Senator John Heinz History Center. The following is a list of students that placed at regionals.
Trinity School District winners:
1st place, Individual Documentary: Emily Palefsky - Fighting the Machine: Berkeley and the Free Speech Movement
1st place, Group Website: Joshua Coatsworth, Joshua Easterday, Jonathan Florian, Matthew Richmond - Burning Reaction: The First U.S. Crematorium
3rd place, Individual Exhibit: Peter Rinehart - Joseph Lister: Pioneer of Antiseptics
3rd place, Group Exhibit: Toby Cullings, Jorryn Goudy, Brandon Wolfe - Andrew Carnegie: Reformation through Scientific Philanthropy
Belle Vernon School District winners:
2nd place, Individual Documentary: Joe Carter - Meadowcroft Rockshelter
2nd place, Individual Performance: Lincoln Mimidis - Stephen Collins Foster: The Original King of Pop
1st place, Individual Research Paper: Aubrey Cintron - AAGPBL: A Home Run For Women's Rights
2nd place, Group Website: Paige Krempasky, Larissa Fordyce - Nellie Bly: Asylum Reform
2nd place, Group Exhibit: Sarah Callaway, Hannah Juba - Nellie Bly: Sacrificial Lamb
2nd place, Group Documentary: Kerri Shondelmyer, Amber Kutcy - Mine Safety Improvement
Monessen School District winner:
2nd place, Individual Website: Luke Farmer - John Hall's Military Breechloaders
