By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney has announced winners of the annual Central Nebraska History Day contest.
Nearly 200 middle school and high school students presented projects based on the theme “Exploration, Encounter and Exchange in History” on campus on March 9.
Schools participating in the event were Kearney Faith Christian, Cozad, Lexington, Arapahoe, McCook, Loup County and Franklin.
Students compete in individual or group competitions in their choice of five different categories: poster exhibits, performances, research papers, documentary film and website design.
Winning projects had to clearly showcase the theme and show accuracy of facts, breadth of research and clarity of presentation.
Students who place at the district level can compete in the Nebraska State History Day contest in Lincoln in April. Winners at state may then compete in national competition in June at the University of Maryland.
History Day is a national educational program aimed at giving students the opportunity to pursue historical research on a chosen theme, and use their creativity in developing competitive projects based on their research.
History Day is sponsored by the UNK Department of History, with support from the Buffalo County Historical Society and Kearney Public Library.
Winners of Central Nebraska History Day were:
Senior Group Performance
First – Dark Encounters: E.A. Poe and the Short Story – Bianca Hernandez, Alba Muniz, Trevor McKeone, Rachel Biehl of Lexington High School
Second – The First Crusade – Derek Monie, Korey Rathe, Noah Wadleigh, Michael French, Ashton Wasenius of Arapahoe
Third – Elizabeth Cady and Susan B. Anthony – Claire Everitt, Paige Tomjack, Karissa Nichols, Maria Fahrenholz of St. Mary’s High School in O’Neill
Senior Individual Exhibits
First – Apollo 13 – JD Meeks of Loup County
Second – Wounded Knee – Lynze Weatherwax of Arapahoe
Third – Origin of American Food – Yelithza Olivas of Arapahoe
Alternate: The Silk Road – Grace Strohl of Loup County
Senior Group Exhibit
First – Louis Zamperini – Ethan Allen, Paul Sandoz of Loup County
Second – The Not-so-Golden Expedition – Desteny Miller, Alex Rousch of Arapahoe
Third – The Bermuda Triangle – Hailey Glidden, Emily Sheldon of Loup County
Alternate: Exploration of the West – Whitney Steckel, Michelle Kessler of Loup County
Junior Individual Exhibit
First – Buffalo Bill Cody – Claire Harrison of Franklin
Second – Satellites: Exploring Communications in Space – Katie Pongratz of St. Mary’s in O’Neill
Third – Nelson Mandela – Presley Pribil of St. Mary’s in O’Neill
Alternate: War Brides – Abby Allen of Loup County
Junior Group Exhibit
First – A Day Which Will Live in Infamy – Candace Coleman, Kori Uerling, Brolin Morgan of McCook Jr. High
Second – Polio Vaccination – Betsy Crumly, Abby Everitt, Carissa Reiser, Sybil Scofiels, Alexa Shald of St. Mary’s in O’Neill
Third – Sir Edmund Hillary – Cassie Schelling, Sidney Province, Katherine Kelliher of Faith Christian Kearney
Alternate: Mansa Musa – Ally Micheel, Cali VanDiest of Loup County
Junior Individual Documentary
First – Battle of the Atlantic – Jerron Stark of Cozad
Junior Group Documentary
First – March on Washington – Abigail Nelsen, Haley Cargill of Cozad
Senior Group Documentary
First – Queen Elizabeth I – Lana Kerner, Alex Lee of Arapahoe
Senior Individual Documentary
First – HIV – Abraham Whitson of Arapahoe
Second – Albert Einstein – Brielle Weverka of Arapahoe
Junior Individual Website
First – The Life of Martha Graham – Vera Butterfield of St. Mary’s in O’Neill
Second – Project Apollo – Corban Preston of Faith Christian Kearney
Third – War Elephants – Elsiana Rodewald of McCook
Junior Group Website
First – Lee Iacocca – Cade Haffener, Caleb Wehling of Faith Christian Kearney
Second – Student Rights: Tinker vs. Des Moines – Megan Burkholder, Hailey Wilson, Katelyn Calhoun, Cade Stott of Cozad
Third – Google: How Larry Page… – Brennan Hanson, Christopher Needham of Faith Christian
Senior Individual Website
First – Helen Keller – Gabrielle Stephens of Arapahoe
Second – Lincoln and the Telegraph – Jordan Dockweiler of Loup County
Third – The History of Tajikistan – Zarifjon Nosirov of St. Mary’s in O’Neill
Senior Group Website
Three Sister Ships – Brenden Conn, Dalton Shimmin, Robert Gardner, Edwin Aguirre of Arapahoe
Senior Research Papers
First – El Mozote: Political Exploration & Exchange – Julia Brionese of Lexington High School
Second – Harvey Milk – Danielle Rivera of Lexington High School
Third – Early Attempts at Integrating Major League Baseball – Antonio Stewart of Lexington High School
Alternate: Robert Henri’s Art – Yesenia Salas of Lexington High School
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Source: James Rohrer, 308.865.8769, rohrerjr@unk.edu
Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu
