During the first weekend of March, thirteen Millstone Township Middle School students participated in the Region 1 Competition for National History Day held on Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 at the College of New Jersey. The students had spent the past few months working independently or with a small group, extensively researching turning points in history to analyze their historical significance using both primary and secondary resources. Once their research and interpretations were complete, students had the option to choose from a variety of presentation formats including original Papers, Websites, Documentaries, Performances, and Exhibits. “In addition to discovering the exciting world of the past, National History Day helps students develop the following attributes that are critical for future success: critical thinking and problem-solving skills, research and reading skills, oral and written communication and presentation skills, self esteem and confidence, as well as a sense of responsibility for and involvement in the democratic process.” (nhd.org)
These projects were completed entirely on their own or with their group, under the guidance and encouragement of the district Gifted and Talented Teacher, Mrs. Michelle Falanga. Students not only became experts on their individual topics, but were well-prepared to present their findings and defend the importance of their topics at the competition to an audience of their peers, as well as a panel of expert judges. Students were encouraged to choose historical events, people, and ideas in which they had a great deal of interest, so topics ranged from the discovery of plate tectonics all the way up to the ‘Unthinkable’ death of John Lennon. Students will be taking the feedback received from the judges during this year’s competition to help enhance and prepare their presentations for the following year.
The Millstone Township School Community would like to offer their sincere congratulations to the following participants:
Kyle Sikkema – Individual Paper: The Puzzle Pieces of Earth: Plate Tectonics
Reece Eng – Individual Documentary: Unimaginable: The Death of John Lennon
Gillian Finnegan, Carrie Ringo, Daniel Shuttner – Group Documentary: The Hindenburg
Matthew Gold, Keely Allen – Group Exhibit: Impact of the Atom Bomb
Anthony Buonantuono, Andrew Duffy, Chris Ferro, Eddie Micklovic – Group Exhibit: The Manhattan Project
Mark Soliman, Sam Marks – Group Exhibit: The Big Bang Theory: It’s My Favorite Theory