Jeff Morgan, (515) 281-3858, Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov

Des Moines, Iowa—They survived regional and state contests during the past four months. Now, 50 Iowa students will square off against the rest of the country at the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD., June 12-16, 2005.

National History Day is an academic-enrichment program that helps students discover historical issues, ideas, people, and events. The year-long academic adventure fosters students’ enthusiasm for learning and their love for history. The program encourages students to use primary, secondary, community and statewide resources on a subject of their choice related to this year’s theme: “Communication in History: The Key to Understanding.”

“We’re very pleased with the turnout and interest we received from students this year,” National History Day Coordinator Naomi Peuse said. “We had more than 3,500 students compete at the regional level, with about 600 students at the state competitions. The quality and diversity of their work exceeded our expectations.”

The road to the national competition began in February when students participated in regional contests across Iowa to earn the right to move to state competitions April 25 and May 2 at the State Historical Building. State qualifiers in grades 6-8 competed in the Junior Division on April 25 while students in grades 9-12 competed in the Senior Division on May 2.

Working individually or collaboratively in groups of two to five, students competed in a variety of categories, including papers, individual exhibits, group exhibits, individual documentaries, group documentaries, individual performances and group performances. Historians, educators and others interested in history served as judges at the state level.

“History Day combines the best of learning about history and having fun while doing it,” Peuse said. “Students have the opportunity to develop research and presentation skills that they can use for a lifetime. These national qualifiers worked hard and we’re looking forward to the national competition.”

National History Day promotes a number of skills that students need for a successful future:

• builds research, comprehension, critical thinking, and presentation skills

• integrates the arts, social sciences, and other disciplines into an historical presentation

• fosters pride in and understanding of local, state, national, and world heritage

• develops creativity, improves self-esteem and a positive experience of history and learning

• and the number one reason students benefit from NHD: National History Day makes learning fun

In addition, the National History Day program provides teachers an innovative teaching tool to implement important skills in a fun and engaging format. NHD requires students to do the job of a historical detective. Participants must delve into primary sources, develop original historical conclusions, and present their work in a creative forum. In short, National History Day is designed to revolutionize the teaching and learning of history.

The National History Day in Iowa program has been coordinated by the State Historical Society of Iowa since 1994. Major funding comes from the State Historical Society of Iowa, the State Historical Society, Inc. of Iowa City, a federal earmark, Cargill, and the American Legion of Iowa Foundation. The NHD in Iowa staff may be reached at: Naomi.Peuse@iowa.gov or by calling 515-281-6860.

National qualifiers include:

2005 Junior Division National Qualifiers and Alternates

Category: Historical Paper
Student(s): William Bolte
Project Title: The Code Talkers: Understanding a Unique Form of Communication
Teacher: Paul Nelson
School, City: Meredith Middle School, Des Moines

Student(s): Alan Nagel
Project Title: Money Talks on the New York Stock Exchange
Teacher: Kathy Paul
School, City: Johnston Middle School, Johnston

Alternate: Student(s): Catherine Litten
Project Title: Halloween Hysteria: War of the Worlds
Teacher: Leon Lueck
School, City Franklin Middle School, Cedar Rapids

Category: Individual Exhibit

Student(s): Susan Leslie
Project Title: Sarah Gillespie Huftalen
Teacher: Chris Green
School, City: North Scott Jr. High, Eldridge

Student(s): Jeralyn Westercamp
Project Title: Understanding Bert
Teacher: Jean Oberbroeckling
School, City: Harding Middle School, Cedar Rapids

Alternate: Student(s): Matthew Lee
Project Title: Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats: Words that Saved a Nation
Teacher: Diane Hugdahl
School, City: Ames Middle School, Ames

Category: Group Exhibit

Student(s): Stephanie Merrick & Chelsea Weiss
Project Title: John Brown: Communicating Freedom
Teacher: Chris Green
School, City: North Scott Jr. High, Eldridge

Student(s): Sara Stoakes & Brooke Johnson
Project Title: Frank Capra: Communicating from a Director’s Chair
Teacher: Brent ThorenSchool, City: North Tama Community Schools

Alternate: Student(s): Lean Bowman & Claire Nagel
Project Title: Garst and Khrushchev: Bringing Warmth to the Cold War
Teacher: Maribeth Niday
School, City: Summit Middle School, Johnston

Category: Individual Documentary

Student(s): Allison Koch
Project Title: Couriers of the Air
Teacher: Shirley Jarzombek
School, City: Taft Middle School, Cedar Rapids

Student(s): Sean Lovelette
Project Title: Meet me in St. Louis
Teacher: Chris Green
School, City: North Scott Jr. High, Eldridge

Alternate: Student(s): Katie Demers
Project Title: Norman Rockwell’s Paintbrushes: Keys to Communicating America’s Greatness
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake Middle School, Storm Lake

Category: Group Documentary

Student(s): Kristi Davis & Justine Scarbrough
Project Title: Circuit Chautauquas: Culture, Companionship, and Education Under Canvas
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake Middle School, Storm Lake

Student(s): Kristyn Griesbach & Katelyn Tharp
Project Title: Jacques-Yves Cousteau: Communicating His Message to the World-“People protect what they love”
Teacher: Chris Green
School, City: North Scott Jr. High, Eldridge

Alternate: Student(s): Emily Lang, Olivia Randolph & Cody Taylor
Project Title: A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words: Grant Wood’s Regionalist Message
Teacher: Lisa Randolph
School, City: Springville Secondary School, Springville

Category: Individual Performance

Student(s): Katherine Tindall
Project Title: Sequoyah Interpreter of the Cherokee Language
Teacher: Colleen Westergard
School, City: Akron-Westfield Community Schools, Akron

Student(s): Ben Hass
Project Title: Native American Code Talker
Teacher: Jean Oberbroeckling
School, City: Harding Middle School, Cedar Rapids

Alternate:vStudent(s): Mona Li
Project Title: Communication between Two American Legends: Adams and Jefferson
Teacher: Diane Hugdahl
School, City: Ames Middle School, Ames

Category: Group Performance

Student(s): Rachel Black, Annie Kjar, Allie Lanning, Becca Meerdink & David Parkinson
Project Title: Tinker vs. Des Moines: A Key to Understanding Student’s Struggle to Communicate
Teacher: Val Philips
School, City: Akron-Westfield Community Schools, Akron

Student(s): Derek Appley, Lauren Blinde, Marissa Harvey, Anthony Miller & Caine Westergard
Project Title: FDR and Polio: Communicating Hope and Understanding to a Nation in Fear
Teacher: Colleen Westergard
School, City: Akron-Westfield Community Schools, Akron

Alternate: Student(s): Spencer Darrow & Casey Schultz
Project Title: Kent State: Communication Failure Becomes an American Tragedy
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake Middle School, Storm Lake

2005 Senior Division National Qualifiers and Alternates

Category: Historical Paper

Student(s): Stephen Frese
Project Title: Divided by a Common Language: Understanding the Babel Proclamation’s Influence In Iowa’s History
Teacher: Scott Johnson
School, City: Marshalltown High School, Marshalltown

Student(s): Kathyrn Skilton
Project Title: Television and the Great Debates: A Key to Understanding Presidential Politics
Teacher: Suzan Turner
School, City: Nashua-Plainfield Community Schools, Nashua

Alternate Student(s): Jack Hou
Project Title: Martians Invade: The Power of Communication
Teacher: Amy Akers
School, City: Ankeny High School, Ankeny

Category: Individual Exhibit

Student(s): Rachelle Edgar
Project Title: Billy Sunday: The Great Communicator in America’s Culture War
Teacher: Scott Johnson
School, City: Marshalltown High School, Marshalltown

Student(s): Sarah Frese
Project Title: The Iowa Bystander: The Fighting Press
Teacher: Millie Frese
School, City: Marshalltown High School, Marshalltown

Alternate Student(s): Marlee Owens
Project Title: Communication at the Vietnam Wall: The Key to Understanding the Cost of War
Teacher: Rozella Stull
School, City: North Tama High School, Traer

Category: Group Exhibit

Student(s): Jessica Jones & Kylie Ryan
Project Title: Communicating in Code: Navajo Code Talkers
Teacher: Chris Green
School, City: North Scott High School, Eldridge

Student(s): Andy Perkins, Melissa Ewing & Breanne Carpenter
Project Title: Warren Report
Teacher: Mike Jones
School, City: Wayne High School, Corydon

Alternate Student(s): Allison Banwart, Daniella Forsythe & Amanda Riesenberg
Project Title: Norman Rockwell: Communication Through Art
Teacher: Claudia Koch
School, City: West Bend-Mallard High School, West Bend

Category: Individual Documentary

Student(s): Anthony Bedel
Project Title: Nazi Propoganda
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake High School, Storm Lake

Student(s): David Morrison
Project Title: Ding Darling: Communicator, Cartoonist, Conservationist
Teacher: Rozella Stull
School, City: North Tama High School, Traer

Alternate Student(s): Kelly Evans
Project Title: Code Talkers: Talk Silent, Speak Swift, Stay Alive
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake High School, Storm Lake

Category: Group Documentary

Student(s): Darren Johnson & Chris Reis
Project Title: Communication Satellites
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake High School, Storm Lake

Student(s): Amy Paul, Katie Pauley
Project Title: Helen Thomas: Symbolizing the Power of the Press
Teacher: Kathy Paul
School, City: Valley High School, West Des Moines

Alternate Student(s): Austin Mills, Brianna Nielsen
Project Title: From Green to Rainbow: Communicating a Revolution
Teacher: Chris Green
School, City: North Scott High School, Eldridge

Category: Individual Performance

Student(s): Cory Gagne
Project Title: The Associated Press: Communicating to the Public Through Pictures
Teacher: Kathy Paul
School, City: Johnston Middle School, Johnston

Student(s): Marjie Halverson
Project Title: Carrie Nation: A “Smashing” Communicator
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake High School, Storm Lake

Alternate Student(s): Elyse Lyons
Project Title: Edna Griffin: Iowa Civil Rights Pioneer
Teacher: Dr. Thomas Forsgren
School, City: Central Academy, Des Moines

Category: Group Performance

Student(s): Olivia Piercy, Jenny Rodger & Eric Sievers
Project Title: Chautauqua: Culture through Communication
Teacher: Roberta Moore
School, City: Storm Lake High School, Storm Lake

Student(s): Meredith Geels, Leah Kron, Torey Robinson & Michelle Wallace
Project Title: A Silence Understood
Teacher: Kathy Paul
School, City: Johnston Middle School, Johnston

Alternate Student(s): Jon Weiland, Nick Nesbitt, Wyatt Svendsen, Thomas Hansen & Adam Pedersen
Project Title: Emile Berline and the Gramaphone
Teacher: Kirsten Doebel
School, City: Alta High School, Alta

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