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FSHS students fourth in national competition
On June 16, one out of the four groups of students from Fort Scott who competed during National History Day in College Park, Md. came home with a double victory.
According to Megan Felt of the Lowell Milken Center, Fort Scott High School students Grant Stucky, Keenan Gregory and Reanda Mims had the honor of "walking the stage" to receive an award at the National History Day event this year because of the success of their senior division group performance titled "Recipe for Legacy: 35mm and a Wide-Angle Lens."
"They got to walk the stage," Felt said. "That is the exciting part. Very few students get to walk the stage in front of all the other students and teachers."
The FSHS students were awarded the Outstanding Kansas award for their group performance. According to Felt, the Outstanding Kansas Award was given to the best project from the state of Kansas. In addition, the trio earned fourth place out of 71 entries at the event.
According to Gregory, because the group did an excellent job in delivering their performance, he said he was confident they would be successful during the competition.
"I felt like we did pretty well," he said.
Although the group did an excellent job during the competition, when the announcement was made that they were being given the Outstanding Kansas award, they were all surprised, according to Stucky.
"We were really excited," Stucky said. "We all three jumped up and hurried down there."
In regards to earning fourth place during the event, Stucky said he was a little surprised because some of the other groups the team had to go up against performed really well.
"I was pretty surprised we made it that far," he said. "There was some pretty stiff competition. I was excited we made it to the finals."
According to Gregory, participation in the History Day activities is important because it helps the students learn about different people and the impact they have had on history.
"It's very important you know who these people are and what an impact they have had on history," he said.
Fort Scott Christian Heights National History Day competitor Teresa Schafer said that although her team, who performed a group skit called "Cyclone in Calico: A Nation in Her Wake," did not make it to the finals during the event, she still considers her team successful.
"There are over 700,000 students (who participate in history day), so to make it to those few (2,500 who compete at nationals) I think is pretty neat. I was so glad to go because last year was an amazing experience and this year was as well."
Schafer said her participation in history day has helped inspire her to be the best she can be.
"(Participation in History Day) motivates you to learn more," she said. "There are so many (people) you have never heard about, and it can inspire you to be the one to make a difference."
According to Stucky, History Day is important because without it, so many stories would be left untold.
"Without learning about them (unsung heroes), their stories might be forgotten," he said. "It (History Day) has taught me the importance of history and how much influence it has on our lives today."
According to Gregory, participation in the event has taught him that the knowledge of history and those who helped make the world what it is today is never-ending.
"(History Day taught me) that there are more stories out there than what is in the history books," he said. "There are more historic sties, more unsung heroes, and there is always something more you can learn."
A total of 13 students made the trek to the National History Day competition. In addition to Stucky, Gregory, Mims, and Schafer, nine FSCH students competed during the event. Marcus Page, David Cox and Elizabeth Wallace performed with Schafer. Austen Hansen, Jake Hansen and Nathan Davolt competed with their senior division Web site called "Henryk Slawik: The Man that Saved Thousands." Kaitlyn Arnold, Alex Arnold and Beth Hill participated with their group exhibit titled, "Barney Ford: The Black Baron of Colorado."
In addition to competing in History Day, the students also toured Washington D.C., at which time they visited the Washington Monument, the White House, several museums and even sat in on a session of the House of Representatives.