Greendale Students Compete, Win At Regional History Day Event

Nearly 40 Greendale School District students from both Greendale High (GHS) and Middle Schools (GMS) competed with more than 500 youth from around the area at the National History Day regional event held recently at UW-Milwaukee. One high school student and two middle school teams won their divisions and will participate in the State Competition at UW-Madison on May 4.

Greendale High School student Josh Baerwald was selected to move on to the state competition for his website on Beethoven. From the middle school, Lauren Yanisch and Sam Schultz were winners in the group website category for a project on the Civil Rights Marches of the 1960; Rubie Rowe and Maddie Clopper were winners in the group exhibit category for their project about the Dust Bowl.

Additionally, three GMS groups finished in fourth place and are alternates for the State competition. Jessalyn Verish, Alexa Unrein, Anna Keltner, and Olivia Decker are alternates in the group performance category for their project, WAAC to WACs in World War II. Grace Perinovic’s individual exhibit on North Platt Canteen earned her an alternate spot, and Michael O'Keefe and Emilija Schmidt are also alternates for their group exhibit on The Fall of the Berlin Wall and Communism.

All GHS U.S. Studies students and GMS 8th graders completed a History Day Project by creating an exhibit, documentary, website, or research paper on a topic of their choice that fit this year's theme "Turning Points in History." Each school held a local competition and selected participants for the regional event.

National History Day, a year-long academic program focused on historical research for 6th to 12th grade students, makes history come alive for America's youth by engaging them in the discovery of the historic, cultural and social experiences of the past. NHD inspires children through exciting competitions. Students winning at the state level will have the opportunity to attend the national competition held at the University of Maryland - College Park in June.