History Day 2010
Innovation in History
History Day at SCSU | Topic Information | History Day Helpers | How to Be a Volunteer Judge
Central Minnesota History Day Regional Competition - March 27, 2010
Contact us at HistoryDay@stcloudstate.edu
History Day Team
2008 History Day Exhibit |
History Day at SCSU
National History Day is a yearlong program that engages students in grades six through 12 in the study and analysis of history. Students choose a topic that relates to a national theme – the theme for 2010 is “Innovation in History”– and gather primary and secondary materials on that topic. The students then analyze the information they discover and present their findings at competitions in a dramatic performance, a documentary, a museum-like exhibit, or an historical paper. Local and regional competitions take place in early spring, the Minnesota History Day competition is in late April, and for students who advance to the final level, the national competition takes place each year in June at the University of Maryland, College Park. For more information about the state contest, see their website at http://www.mnhs.org/school/historyday/index.htm. For more information on the National History Contest, visit their website at http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/.
History Day offers an opportunity for students to explore their interests in history in greater depth, accumulate valuable research and analytical skills, and discover for themselves the value of the study of the past. For the community, History Day offers a chance to participate as local students create their own learning opportunities and examine topics relating to world, national, state and local history. Judges will not only show support for students’ enthusiasm for history, but also will give them the opportunity to interact with leading citizens of the region and demonstrate to the students that this community has an interest in their projects and research. Past judges include current and emeriti history faculty from St. Cloud State University, history faculty from the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, state representatives and senators, graduate students in history, undergraduate history majors and Social Studies Teaching majors, as well as alumnae in both these areas, central Minnesota teachers and administrators.
St. Cloud State University has hosted this contest for twenty five years. It has enjoyed participation from public and private schools in St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Rice, Long Prairie, Willmar, Chisago Lakes, Buffalo, Milaca, St. Francis, Albany, St. Joseph, Cedar Creek, Eden Valley, Watkins, Zimmerman, St. Michael, Albertville, Holdingford, Big Lake, Becker, Princeton, and Cokato, as well as a number of home schools in central Minnesota.
The 2010 Contest is scheduled for Saturday, March 27th, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Atwood Memorial Center. The awards ceremony will be held the same day at 2:00 p.m. in Ritchie Auditorium in Stewart Hall.
Topic Information: The Individual in History, Actions and Legacies (by Jessica Ellison)
The 2010 History Day theme, “Innovation in History: Impact and Change,” has endless opportunities for creativity, particularly for students whose interests may lie outside the realm of history. Science, economics, music, technology and sports all have a place alongside history in this year’s theme.
Innovation, by definition, means the introduction of something new and/or creative. Students must keep in mind, however, that not all new ideas or creations are innovative, or historically significant. Television was innovative and significant, but color television was simply an improvement upon an innovation. The key to expressing an innovation is to demonstrate how that idea, invention or method is something new and different, by establishing what the innovation intended to change and showing the innovation’s impact and significance.
For more details about this year’s topic, visit the following page on the Minnesota History Day website: http://www.mnhs.org/school/historyday/program/docs_pdfs/themepage.pdf
History Day Helpers
We provide support for teachers and students involved with Central MN Regional History Day
Mary Johnson- MN Regional History Day Coordinator at SCSU: My role is to organize the History Day intern involvement at area schools. I am a resource for both new and participating schools as they develop their History Day programs. My other role is to coordinate the Central MN regional competition at SCSU on March 27, 2010.
Interns- Aaron Johnson, Michelle Kuseske, Nick Ostendorf, and Anna Zigmund: Our role is to provide direct student support through school visits and SCSU campus library days.
To contact us for any questions, further information, to schedule school visits, or to schedule library days email us at HistoryDay@stcloudstate.edu.
History Day Judging
Who: People with an interest in History and want to make a difference in the lives of local students.
What: Free lunch and free t-shirt provided for a fun filled day of judging history day projects!
When: Saturday March 27, 2009 approximately 8:00am to 2:00pm.
Where: Saint Cloud State University in the Atwood Memorial Center (AMC)
How to become a volunteer judge: Fill out the judge's form (docx) and either email it to the History Day coordinator at HistoryDay@stcloudstate.edu or send it to:
Mary Johnson
C/O: History Department
720 4th Avenue South
St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301-4498
