February 15, 2023 Submitted by Hingham Public Schools
Seventy-two Hingham High School juniors competed at this year’s HHS History Day contest. This annual competition, held in person at the Hingham Historical Society’s Heritage Museum for the first time since 2020, featured the top historical research projects of all 288 members of the Class of 2024.
Established in 1974, National History Day (NHD) is a non-profit education organization that offers year-long academic programs that annually engage over half a million middle- and high-school students around the world in conducting original research on a topic of their choice aligned to a particular theme, which this year is “Frontiers in History.” These research-based projects are entered into contests at the local and affiliate levels, where the top student projects have the opportunity to advance to the national contest at the University of Maryland at College Park. The first step in this contest is the school level, and high schools in Massachusetts may send up to 26 projects to their regional competition on March 12th .
Hingham Public Schools students have participated in NHD for decades, noted Andy Hoey, HPS K-12 Director of Social Studies, because of the merits of the program and the enthusiasm it engenders. “Beyond the contest, the NHD program is a valuable experience that fosters research, writing, critical thinking, and communication skills, while allowing students to explore their interests and tap into their creativity,” Hoey said. “The high quality of what the students produce is a testament to them, their teachers, and our entire social studies program.”
That excitement was evident at the Hingham Heritage Museum on Sunday afternoon, where students gathered to present and discuss their work to a team of volunteer judges from the Hingham Historical Society and the Hingham Public Schools. One such judge was HPS Superintendent Dr. Margaret Adams, who remarked, “I was so proud of our historians who showcased their research and presentation skills, including their depth of knowledge about their chosen topics. Also, our juniors were able to place their topics in history but also make connections to their importance to current issues today in our communities and nation.”
Alexa Fox was one of the juniors who discussed her work at the Heritage Museum. “Although NHD has taken time and hard work, it's been one of the most rewarding projects I've completed since entering high school,” Fox said. “Through the project, I've been able to learn about parts of history that interest me while learning how to find primary sources, write a script, and format a documentary.” Fellow junior Liam Arnold agreed: “The NHD project was a great opportunity to explore my interests relative to America's history in frontiers, especially while researching alongside a friend.”
Deirdre Anderson, Executive Director of the Hingham Historical Society, is “proud of our robust partnership with the Hingham Public Schools—from field trips to our internship and most recently hosting the local National History Day competition at the Heritage Museum. When we celebrate student research and presentation in an environment like the Heritage Museum, that is itself a testament to the importance of history and its role in helping us make sense of the world; we elevate the student experience.”
Hoey echoed the value of the partnership between the HPS and the Hingham Historical Society, adding his gratitude to Anderson, as well as President Paula Bagger and Assistant Director Sarah Doggett for their support. “Having a local historical society of such quality and support from the community is a truly unique gift to our students and the town as a whole,” Hoey said.
Addressing the students at the conclusion of the contest, Hoey said, “Although the contest aspect of the National History Day program is indeed exciting, I truly believe that the greatest reward comes from the academic process itself. I hope you found the experience to be intellectually rewarding as you explored your historical topic. You all have demonstrated excellence in research, source analysis, critical thinking, writing, and communication. I trust that you will carry these skills with you to college and beyond–and that you will also carry with you an appreciation for history throughout your life. You have made me, your teachers, your families, and your school community proud.” Hoey offered his congratulations to all 72 participating students for their scholarship, as well as the teachers who guided them through the process: Ms. Molly Baggott, Mr. Patrick Doerr, Ms. Kathleen Dwyer, Ms. Christina O’Connor, Ms. Susan Petrie, and Ms. Jamie Zelenka.
The 35 students listed below were promoted to compete at the Stoneham Regional History Day contest and a chance to move on to the state and national competitions.
Paper
First Place: Grace LaFond: “Crossing the Frontier of Science and Gender: An Analysis of Virginia Apgar as a
Medical and Social Pioneer”
Second Place: Patti Ricci: “Katharine Dexter McCormick: A Representation of the Generational Frontier in
Women’s Rights”
Third Place: Lily Steiner: “Jane Addams: Redefining Social Work in the United States”
Fourth Place: Megan Doyle: “Remember the Lady”
Fifth Place: Nora Andrews: “Fight, Flight and Frontiers; The Struggle for Equitable Education in the Boston Public
Schools”
Sixth Place: Charlotte Sweeney: “Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell: Pioneer for the Medical Profession and the Greater Good
of Womankind”
Individual Documentary
First Place: Cat Alexander “‘Live at the Apollo:’ The Stage for the African American Voices in America”
Second Place: Beatrix Boer: “Margaret Sanger: The Reproductive Rebel”
Third Place: Kyle Strauss: “Powering Our Future – The Wright Brothers”
Fourth Place: AJ Barrett: “Sidney Poitier’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement and Desegregating Hollywood”
Fifth Place: Gabriel Stevens: “Salt and Pepper: How Pioneers in 1950s Rock and Roll Aided African American Civil
Rights”
Sixth Place: Jack Burns: “The Chinese Struggle in the American Frontier”
Group Documentary
First Place: Ellie Clark & Nina Crean: “Black Wall Street”
Second Place: Marissa Matthews & Angelina Palek: “Henrietta Lacks: Frontiers in Medicine and Bioethics”
Third Place: Alexa Fox & Maisie Knies: “Lucy Stone: A Woman Engraved in History”
Fourth Place: Anna Kiernan & Lily Samoska: “Title IX in Hingham”
Fifth Place: Liam Arnold & Calvin Smock: “Ford's American Frontier into European Motorsport”
Sixth Place: Bridget Patten & Liz Schembri: “Alcoholics Anonymous: A Frontier in Recovery”
Individual Website
First Place: Gabe Synnott: “The Nuclear Option: How Fear Led U.S. Energy Policy Astray”
Second Place: Tori Bousquet: “Marsha P. Johnson”
Third Place: Julia Buczynski: “Alfred Stieglitz and His Effect on the Modernistic Frontier in America”
Group Website
First Place: Niamh Cotter, Mia Nagle & Teresa Pikoulas: “The Environmental Movement”
Individual Exhibit
First Place: Stella Huleatt: “Black Wall Street: The Vitality, Tragedy, and Ongoing Impact of Tulsa”
Second Place: Luka Gutierrez: “Migrating West in America : DIY Clothing”
Group Exhibit
First Place: Nick Leone & Thomas Leone: “The Genius Henry Ford”
Group Performance
First Place: Hunter Schultz & Torbjørn Tennebø: “Jack Kirby vs. Fascism”