Perseverance



National History Day is still going strong for a small team of students in my school and district!

I'm so proud to say that four students in my school, two students in one of our sister middle schools, and one former student of mine that's now a High School Junior have qualified for the National History Day (virtual) finals competition!

These students are showing great perseverance working on edits and additional research, all while navigating online learning and, in the case of my High School student, studying for Advance Placement exams! We have been meeting regularly to continue to provide guidance as these historians hone their work before submitting their documentary, website, and performance script. The students are studying fascinating topics (the Japanese Internment Camps during WWII, Rosie the Riveter, and the heroic Ida Lewis) and the open-ended nature of NHD work allows these young ladies to really stretch their thinking and move their research forward. 

All of this really reminds me what I miss the most while I'm not in the classroom--being the guide on the side (literally, not virtually) and asking research questions that promote deep learning and "aha" moments. I get to do this to some extent during online learning but it's not the same.

I'm so grateful that the NHD competition is still running, especially since so much has had to be cancelled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It's important to many students and teachers that this program has continued.

Bravo to our students and I look forward to seeing what the virtual competition, held during a week this June, will be like for you (and us teachers--we will get to join in on the excitement, too)!

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