Ten Hamilton County students who placed first or second in their categories at this year’s virtual Tennessee History Day contest will represent Tennessee at National History Day this summer.
After competing in and receiving awards at regional contests across the state, 220 students participated in this year’s Tennessee History Day, held the first two weeks of April. Out of 127 group and individual projects submitted, 62 students advanced to the National History Day competition, 88 students earned medals, 18 students were awarded special prizes and two educators were recognized as Educators of the Year.
The Hamilton County students advancing to the National History Day competition are:
2nd Place in the Senior Group Exhibit
Project: Radio Communication: Edward Murrow During the Nazi Blitz - Influencing the Birth of Broadcast Journalism and the America Entering World War II
By: Caroline Breazeale, Cameron Buhrman, Sara Kate Elrod and Ana Pritchett
From: Girls Preparatory School, Chattanooga
Educator: Reed Dillard
2nd Place in the Senior Individual Website
Project: Sequoyah and the Cherokee Phoenix: How Communication Evolved Cherokee Nationalism
By: Andrew Negus
From: McCallie School, Chattanooga
Educator: Duke Richey
2nd Place in the Senior Group Website
Project: Esperanto: How a Constructed Language Bridged Gaps in International Communication
By: Mary Catherine Clelland, Ellie Fivas, Aarushi Modi and Lauren Thacker
From: Girls Preparatory School, Chattanooga, Hamilton County
Educator: Ralph Covino
2nd Place in the Senior Individual Paper and the Mitchell Mielnik Memorial Prize for the Best Project in Sports, Recreation, or the Environment
Project: Argonauts of the Sierra: The Romanticization of the Gold Rush
By: Brian Moore
From: McCallie School, Chattanooga
Educator: Duke Richey
These Hamilton County students also earned awards at the Tennessee History Day competition:
3rd Place in the Senior Individual Exhibit
Project: Words Win Wars
By: Sawyer Hunnewell
From: Girls Preparatory School, Chattanooga
Educator: Reed Dillard
3rd Place in the Senior Group Performance
Project: The Checkmate of Codes: Alan Turing and the Enigma Machine
By: Emerson Couch, Julia Nichols and Zella Stockman
From: Girls Preparatory School, Chattanooga
Educator: Reed Dillard
3rd Place in the Senior Individual Documentary
Project: How the Use of Socialist Nomenclature Influenced the Advancement of Politics
By: Rowdy Stephens
From: McCallie School, Chattanooga
Educator: Duke Riche
“I applaud the talented and hard-working students who, despite unprecedented challenges this past year, excelled in the Tennessee History Day competition," said Secretary of State Tre Hargett.
"I’m proud to support this worthwhile program and wish the statewide winners the best of luck as they represent Tennessee on the national stage.”
History Day is a year-long competition in which students in grades 6-12 compete by submitting group or individual projects about people and events of historical significance. These projects include dramatic performances, imaginative exhibits, multimedia documentaries, websites and research papers related to this year’s theme, Communication in History: The Key to Understanding.
The National History Day competition will take place June 13-17, hosted virtually by the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. Top finishers in each category earn prestigious awards and scholarships.
"Our students and educators overcame unique challenges to participate in the 2021 contest," said Tennessee History Day Coordinator Nikki Ward. "Projects that usually depend on in-person presentation had to be transformed into a digital format. The students found ways to collaborate on research and create engaging virtual projects, all while diligently following health guidelines and adhering to the National History Day framework. Congratulations to these students, educators and families for a job well done."
The Tennessee Historical Society has sponsored Tennessee History Day since 2009 with grant support from the Secretary of State, Humanities Tennessee, the Memorial Foundation and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. For more information about Tennessee History Day, visit tennesseehistory.org/tennessee-history-day/.
For the complete list of 2021 Tennessee History Day winners, visit sos-tn-gov-files.tnsosfiles.com/2021TNHistoryDayWinners.pdf.