University of Southern Colorado to host History
Day regional competition
Pueblo, Colo. -- This year's National History Day regional competition
will take place on March 15, 2003, at the University of Southern Colorado.
Winners will have the opportunity to compete at the state and national levels.
National History Day is a nationally acclaimed history education program that
promotes the study of civics and citizenship among the nation's students and
teachers. NHD also challenges teachers to develop lessons to restore the study
of our nation's heritage to a prominent place in the classroom.
The NHD program provides curriculum materials for teachers, with suggestions
about how to give junior/middle school and high school students an opportunity
to research a topic over a period of several months. Students can explore and
learn about historical issues, ideas, people, and events that interest them.
History Day is not just one day, but a yearlong education organization that
makes history come alive through educator professional development and active
student learning. On the regional level, History Day begins this month, when
teachers throughout the 11 counties of southeastern Colorado are invited to
become involved and bring their students into the program. Students and teachers
will work throughout the year on projects and lessons.
At the regional level the NHD program will provide teacher workshops, to assist
teachers in implementing the program in their classes. Workshops will be geared
toward explaining the basics of the program, the resources available, and the
use of primary sources with their students. Teachers are asked to contact the
regional NHD program by calling, emailing, or responding to the mailing about
History Day that they will receive in about a week to express interest in the
workshops. One workshop will be take place in Pueblo, in early November and
others will be arranged as needed.
The NHD program in collaboration with the National Archives and Records
Administration, the Corporation for National and Community Service and the USA
Freedom Corps created a national initiative titled "Our Documents: A
National Initiative on American History, Civics, and Service."
President George W. Bush observed the 215th anniversary of the signing of the
United States Constitution by announcing the new initiative, which was formed to
promote public exploration and understanding of how our rights and
responsibilities as Americans have taken shape over time.
"Our Documents" invites all Americans to participate in a series of
events and programs to get Americans thinking, talking and teaching about the
rights and responsibilities of citizens in our democracy. The project includes
workshops, town meetings, competitions, and votes for students, teachers,
parents, and the general public.
"Our Documents" revolves around 100 milestone American documents drawn
from thousands of public laws, Supreme Court decisions, inaugural speeches,
treaties, constitutional amendments, and other national artifacts that have
shaped us as a people and that are part of our nation's archives.
The goal of "Our Documents" is to engage students, teachers, parents,
and the general public in reading these historical documents and ask them to
vote at www.OurDocuments.gov for the one they consider the most significant.
Through this process Americans will explore the nation's civic legacy and
reflect on the meanings of citizenship in a republican democracy.
Through the course of the school year "Our Documents" will engage
students and teachers in the 2002-2003 National History Day program theme
"Rights and Responsibilities in History." Students across America will
explore their rights and responsibilities by creating original performances,
documentaries, papers, or three-dimensional exhibits as part of
"Understanding Our Documents: A National Competition for Students."
History and social studies teachers also will have the opportunity to develop
document-based lesson plans for national awards and distribution. "Teaching
Our Documents: A Lesson Competition for Educators" invites teachers to
develop and test a classroom lesson focusing on one or several of the 100
Milestone Documents in U.S. History. Educator and student awards will be
announced at the National History Day competition June 15-19, 2003 at the
University of Maryland at College Park.
The competitions have two divisions, junior division for grades 6-8, and senior
division for grades 9-12. Students can work alone or in groups of two to five
for competition entries. Students may choose any topic, but are encouraged to
consider topics related to the 100 documents available online. There also will
be a special contest for teachers to develop a lesson plan related to one or
several of the documents.
Last year, Amy Wiley, of Connect School in Pueblo District 70, created an entry
entitled "Mill Girls Revolution" and won at the local and state
levels. She made the trip to the national competition in June of 2002.
To become involved in the National History Day program this year, or for more
information about the program or the workshop, contact Carol Loats, district
coordinator, National History Day in Southeastern Colorado, (719) 549-2348 or by
email at loats@uscolo.edu. Interested teachers are requested to respond if they
plan to attend the workshop.
The University of Southern Colorado is a regional, comprehensive university
emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying
excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and
outreach, USC is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality
of services provided to its students.
