New Haven and Fairfield Area Students to Compete Saturday in Connecticut History Day Contests

Hartford, Conn. – Connecticut History Day continues its 2021 virtual Regional Contests on Saturday, March 20, for 479 students in the New Haven and Fairfield regions. Connecticut History Day (CHD) is the annual year-long academic program for middle and high-school students that culminates in a series of regional contests leading up to a state contest in May and a national contest in June, where students compete to win prestigious prizes, including college scholarships.

Each year, students from across Connecticut choose a historical topic based on an annual theme, then, along with the help of dedicated teachers, conduct research and develop arguments based on original analyses, and then turn their findings into documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances, or websites to share what they’ve learned.

The 2020-21 theme could not be more relevant or important: Communication in History: The Key to Understanding. Students at this weekend’s contests will share their research on the following fascinating and timely topics and how they relate to communication in history and many more:

• Carrier Pigeons
• Presidential Campaigns Before the Internet
• American School for the Deaf
• The Norwalk Rail Disaster
• Mark Twain’s Influence

Panels of volunteer judges will determine the first, second, and third place winners in each category that will advance to the State Contest.

The New Haven Regional Contest features 71 entries by 97 students from EC Adams Middle School in Guilford, East Haven High School, Engineering & Science University Magnet School in West Haven, Memorial Middle School in Middlebury, North Haven Middle School, Pomperaug Regional High School and Rochambeau Middle School in Southbury, Wilbur Cross High School and Worthington Hooker Middle School in New Haven.

Special guests Mayor Justin Elicker and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro contributed virtual messages to the students.

The Fairfield Regional Contest includes 274 entries from 382 students from the Center for Global Studies, Columbus Magnet School, Nathan Hale Middle School, Roton Middle School, Norwalk High School, Scotts Ridge Middle School, and West Rocks Middle School in Norwalk, as well as Fairfield Warde High School in Fairfield, Greenberg Classical Academy and The Academy of Information Technology in Stamford, Greenwich High School, Staples High School in Westport, and Trumbull High School.

Special Guests State Rep. Jennifer Leeper, State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, and First Selectwoman Brenda L. Kupchick shared virtual messages for the students.

After switching to an online format last year at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff has been prepared to run all contests fully virtual this year. In an effort to enhance the experience for participants, CHD staff worked with their partners to create unique content exclusively for CHD students.

“This is more than just your average online event,” said Rebecca Taber-Conover, Head of Public Programs and Connecticut History Day at The Connecticut Democracy Center at Connecticut’s Old State House. “This year we worked with our hosts to create some really engaging experiences for our students.”

Student projects and content available to the public will be available beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday on the Connecticut History Day website: historydayct.org/regionalcontestday.html

Results will be announced Monday, March 22.

Connecticut History Day is coordinated by The Connecticut Democracy Center at Connecticut’s Old State House. An affiliate program of National History Day, CHD promotes the study of history in schools – including public, private, and home schools – to create a higher degree of appreciation for the value of historical thought in students, educators, and community members who participate. CHD creates college and career-ready citizens of the future by engaging students in rigorous, inquiry-based academic research projects.

CHD conforms to the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies Connecticut State Standards and Connecticut’s new Social Studies Frameworks.

CHD is presented with major funding and partnership support from CT Humanities. Program support is given by the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area and the New Haven Museum. Follow Connecticut History Day on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and visit the program’s website at histordayct.org.

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