Eight Middle School students recently participated in National History Day at Hofstra University. The students conducted extensive research on their selected historical topics with the theme of Triumph and Tragedy for presentation at the event.

The highly regarded academic program was an opportunity for students to analyze and interpret their research and present their topics’ significance in history. They completed their research utilizing the district's Virtual Reference Collection as well as the Library of Congress, oral history interviews, NoodleTools and G-Suite.

Aaron Russell, who presented in the Junior Individual Exhibit with his project Easter Rising, was the Irish Specialty Award winner and Carly Mulroy was honored with the History Club Commendation for her research on Nikola Tesla: Man Out of Time. Anja Minty also exhibited at the individual level with her project The Atomic Bomb: A Scientific Revolution and Ethical Disaster.

Presenting in the Junior Group Exhibit were Natalie Casey and Melanie Hagen with their project on The Equal Rights Amendment and Alexandria Kall, Kathryn Winters and Alex Zhang for their presentation on The Industrial Revolution.

“I am so proud of the students involved,” social studies teacher and History Club adviser Danielle Senneca said. “To present historical research at a university is quite an accomplishment, especially while in middle school.”

The students have already started planning for the 2020 competition with the theme of Breaking Barriers in History.