Norwich and Mansfield Regional Students to Compete This Saturday in First Round of Connecticut History Day Contests

NORWICH AND MANSFIELD REGIONAL STUDENTS TO COMPETE THIS SATURDAY IN FIRST ROUND OF CONNECTICUT HISTORY DAY CONTESTS

Students compete to advance to the State Contest in May

March 4, 2021

Hartford, Conn. – Connecticut History Day kicks off the first of its 2021 virtual Regional Contests on Saturday, March 6, for students in the Norwich and Mansfield regions. Connecticut History Day (CHD) is the annual year-long historical research competition 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 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 in Norwich and Mansfield will share their research on the following fascinating and timely topics and how they relate to communication in history and many more:

• The Hartford Courant: Communication from 1764-2000
• Creation of American School for the Deaf
• Protests: The Language of the Unheard
• Letters between Abigail and John Adams that contributed to Early Feminism
• Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)- Speaking out on Vietnam

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

The Norwich Region features 91 projects by 110 students from Haddam-Killingworth Middle School, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle and High Schools, Nathan Hale Ray Middle School in East Haddam, Norwich Free Academy, Pine Point School in Stonington, Fitch High School in Groton, Stonington High School, and Wheeler High School in North Stonington. Special guests include State Sen. Cathy Osten, State Rep. Kevin Ryan, and Congressman Joe Courtney.

The Mansfield Region includes 103 entries by 142 students from E.O. Smith High School in Storrs, Arts at the Capitol Theater Magnet in Willimantic, Ellington High School, John F Kennedy Middle School in Enfield, Loomis Chaffee School and Madina Academy in Windsor, Manchester Middle School, Mansfield Middle School, Timothy Edwards Middle School in South Windsor, Vernon Center Middle School, Rockville High School in Vernon, and Windham Technical High School. Special guests include Mayor Antonia Moran, State Senator Mae Flexer, and Congressman Joe Courtney.

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, including an escape room style scavenger hunt from the Slater Memorial Museum for the Norwich Contest and a conversation with Dr. Mark Healy of UConn for the Mansfield/Storrs Contest.

“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 8. Upcoming Regional Contests include Hartford and Torrington on Saturday, March 13, and Fairfield and New Haven on Saturday, March 20.

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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