A number of students from the Western Upper Peninsula were selected as national finalists at the Michigan History Day state finals held April 30 at Grand Valley State University.
These students participated in the local District 1 competition held February 26 in Houghton, which was sponsored by the Michigan Tech Social Sciences Department, the Michigan Tech Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections, the Quincy Mine Hoist Association and the Historical Society of Michigan.
National finalists now have the opportunity to compete in the national competition to be held in June 12-16 in College Park, Maryland. Alternates will be invited if any of the finalists in their division and category are unable to participate.
The list of National Finalists includes:
Group Documentary Category
Copper Strike of 1913
Dinah Bekkala, Kaylee Hanson, Brook Harter
Hometown: Calumet, Hancock, Hancock
School: Hancock High School
Group Performance Category
The Diary of Fashion
Katelyn Anderson, Kelsey Bekkala, Kristen Berg
Hometown: Hancock, Calumet, Hancock
School: Hancock Central High School
Individual Website Category
The Formation of the United Nations: Diplomacy Around the World
Aaron Posega
Hometown: Hancock
School: Hancock Central High School
The list of Altnerntes includes:
Individual Documentary Category
Detroit Burning: The 12th Street Riot
Mariah Hallstrom
Hometown: Hancock
School: Hancock Central High School
Individual Exhibit Category
The Boundary Question: A Simple Debate That Caused the Toledo War
Cassie Simula
Hometown: Hancock
School: Hancock Central High School
In addition, a special award for “Best Entry in Use of Oral History” was presented in the Senior Division for the exhibit “How Far Is Too Far? Josef Mengele’s Debatable Experiments on the Twins of Auschwitz,” by Erica LeClaire of Dollar Bay-Tamarack City High School.
Congratulations to all of the students who participated in both the district and state competitions. And good luck to those moving on to the national competition!