News - Local

Monday, Jun. 15, 2009

Making a mark on history: Local students compete nationally

Eighth-graders take their projects on photojournalist and inventor of jeans to National History Day

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Two North County eighth-graders are starting their summer vacations on a historical note.

Celia Palermo, 13, and Hayden Mullin, 14, will represent San Luis Obispo County and the state of California at the National History Day finals. The competition is held today through Thursday at the University of Maryland, near Washington, D.C.

“It’s highly competitive, so we’re thrilled to have two students going (to the finals),” said Christine Enyart-Elfers, senior program coordinator at the county Office of Education. “History Day is an incredible experience.”

The two students have spent countless hours researching and creating polished presentations based on this year’s theme, “The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies.”

Celia, an Atascadero Junior High School student, will present a 10-minute performance based on the life of photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White.

Hayden, who attends Flamson Middle School in Paso Robles, is screening his short documentary, “The Name on the Pocket: The Story of Levi Strauss.”

Inspiring love of history

Created in 1974 at a Cleveland university, National History Day is an academic organization aimed at getting elementary and secondary school students interested in history.

Each year, more than half a million students in grades 6 to 12 participate in National History Day.

Assisted by about 30,000 teachers, they choose historical topics, do research and craft performances, documentaries, papers, exhibits and Web sites.

The program culminates in competitions at the district, state and national levels. Judges select two winners from each category to send to the next level.

According to Enyart-Elfers, the History Day program has been a part of San Luis Obispo County curriculum for nearly 30 years.

This year, 91 students in the seventh and eighth grades competed on the county level. Participating schools included Templeton Middle School, Cayucos Elementary School and Daniel Lewis Middle School in Paso Robles.

According to Amelia Sherman, a history teacher at Atascadero Junior High, History Day teaches students “skills that could help them through their academic years.”

Extra work

Celia and Hayden worked on their History Day projects since the start of the school year, cramming after school and on the weekends.

Celia picked her subject via “a broad Internet search on women in history,” she said.

One Web site mentioned Margaret Bourke-White, the groundbreaking photojournalist who documented the Great Depression, World War II and Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. Celia was hooked.

“She was fearless in many respects,” Celia said of Bourke-White. “I just thought she was really cool.”

The Atascadero resident’s research led her to read several books about Bourke-White. She also interviewed a photojournalist, a journalism professor, and nationally acclaimed photographer Joe Schwartz, who lives in Atascadero.

Celia, an aspiring actress, then created a theatrical performance in which she portrays Bourke-White and a college professor.

Love of Levi’s

Hayden offered a simple explanation as to why he chose denim jeans manufacturer Levi Strauss: “I just love wearing Levi’s.”

The Paso Robles teen pored through books and Web sites to learn more about the German immigrant who founded Levi Strauss & Co. in 1853. He traveled to the company’s San Francisco headquarters and saw jeans that survived the 1906 earthquake.

Still, Hayden said, he had trouble finding primary sources such as interviews with Strauss’ relatives or first-hand accounts about the birth of blue jeans.

“A lot of stuff was destroyed in the earthquake,” he said.

Hayden had prior experience with History Day projects, thanks to Flamson’s Spanish-language immersion program.

In sixth grade, he made an exhibit board about the first teacher in space. The next year, he filmed a documentary on cochlear implants.

Hayden got filmmaking advice this time from his 16-year-old brother, Keegan, a past History Day competitor. Keegan also shared tips about dealing with stress.

The boys’ mom, Vikki Mullin, said her sons are dedicated History Day competitors.

“It’s been a really big goal of theirs for a long time,” she said.

Big stage

Although reaching the National History Day finals has been nerve-wracking at times, Celia and Hayden said they’re looking forward to presenting their projects at the national level.

“I’m more excited than anything, actually,” Celia said.

It will cost about $1,500 to send each student to the competition, Enyart-Elfers said, including travel, housing and registration fees. Although their school districts will cover part of that cost, both students received help from local nonprofits.

Enyart-Elfers is confident they’ll do well.

“Both kids are very eloquent and comfortable,” she said. “This is a great chance for the kids to be in charge of their learning.”