StJB eighth graders Jayger Haag and Miles Poppleton received third place for their Junior Group Exhibit category, “Tuskegee Airmen: Breaking Barriers on Two Fronts” at the National History Day state-level competition this month. The students’ exhibit was one of 13 in the Junior Exhibit Category of the competition.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nebraska National History Day’s State competition was a virtual/online contest, instead of being held at Nebraska Wesleyan University.
“We are extremely proud of all our St. John’s students who competed in the National History Day State Contest,” said Mrs. Linda Monahan, St. John’s principal. “These are unprecedented and challenging times, especially for students. We are so impressed with the focus, determination and work ethic our students demonstrated as they continued to prepare for the state competition.”
This year’s national theme was “Breaking Barriers in History.” A total of seven St. John’s students from seventh and eighth grades participated in the state competition:
Junior Group Exhibit:
Jayger Haag and Miles Poppleton (8th Grade) – “Tuskegee Airmen: Breaking Barriers on Two Fronts”
Claire Laney (7th Grade) and Emily Zitek (8th Grade) – “Amelia Earhart: Flying Through Unknown Barriers”
Murphy Roby and Grace Thayer (7th Grade): “When it Comes Down”
Junior Individual Documentary:
Nathan Rain (7th Grade) – “The Transcontinental Railroad Expanding Westward”
Jayger and Miles, along with StJB History Day teacher Mrs. Kirsten Champ, were notified of the students’ third place state finish during a live broadcast of the awards ceremony on Sunday, April 26th. Click here to view the awards ceremony and announcement of state winners.
The National History Day program boosts students’ skills in critical thinking, research and writing. Students also learn to think like historians, exhibit their work in an authentic environment and take ownership of their project work.