THE FREEDOM TO THINK OR WHY BOOK BANNING IS BORING
By Emily Romero
“if I truly like to think of myself as having a growth mindset then I have to support that with experiences and ideas that challenge me to be a critical & creative thinker and to engage with a variety of people and materials.”
CIVIL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE — THE FORCE OF REIES LOPEZ TIJERINA
By Ray John de Aragon
“What was the immortal legacy of the extreme activism of Reies Lopez Tijerina?”
COMO QUE DOLLY PARTON ?!
By Leeanna Teresa Martinez y Torres
“As a young girl growing up in rural New Mexico, I’d sift through Mama’s record collection, often landing on what became one of my favorite albums.”
THE B-52 BOMBER THAT FELL FROM THE SKY
By Mario X. Martinez
“In the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 30, 1963, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress was flying a routine training mission out of Walker AFB when a tragic event thrust the inhabitants of the Mora Valley into the national spotlight.”
N.M. STUDENTS BRING HOME AWARDS FROM THE NATIONAL NHD CONTEST
National History Day announced this year’s prize winners on Thursday, June 15, at the 2023 National Contest awards ceremony, held in person for the first time in four years. More than 2,600 students and 600 teachers attended the National Contest, which took place on the university campus in College Park, Md., from June 10–15. The ceremony was the culmination, not only of the week-long contest, but also of a year of student research, project creation, and competition.
New Mexico students competed well, with McKenzie Satterfield and Aubrey Shelby of Moriarty High School in Moriarty, N.M., placing second in senior group exhibit; Heights Middle School in Farmington, N.M., students Genevieve Petersen and Grace McWilliams receiving the junior award for outstanding entry in the History of the Physical Sciences & Technology; and students Elizabeth McDonald, Isaac Beck and Kylee Jones of Silver High in Silver City, N.M., taking home the award for United States Marine Corps History.
“We are incredibly proud of the 62 New Mexico students who competed at the national contest this year,” said state coordinator Heather McClenahan. “They learned so much while working on their projects, had a blast exploring the nation’s capital and meeting their competitors, and they showed why our motto is ‘Fear the chile!’”
During the 2022–2023 school year, over half a million students globally completed projects centered around the theme, Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas, in one of five categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website. Throughout the spring, students competed in a series of contests beginning at the local level. The top students from all 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories, and international schools were invited to compete in the National Contest.
“It’s great to be back in person after three years of virtual contests,” said NHD Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “Every year, NHD students surprise and inspire me with their enthusiasm, innovative thinking, and tireless research. The analytical skills they have cultivated will stand them in good stead for their future educational endeavors. Congratulations to the over half a million students globally who participated and to the thousands of teachers who guided them.” More than 400 historians and education professionals served as judges for the students’ work. $150,000 in scholarships were awarded at the national awards ceremony, and over 100 students took home cash prizes between $250 and $1,000 for superior work.
N.M. STUDENT PROJECT SELECTED FOR SHOWCASE AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Lillah Berkson, a 7th grade student at Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy in Las Cruces, will have her National History Day exhibit featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Wednesday, June 14.
National History Day is a year-long academic program focused on historical research, interpretation and creative expression for sixth to twelfth-grade students. By participating in NHD, students become writers, filmmakers, web designers, playwrights, and artists as they create unique contemporary expressions of history. The experience culminates in a series of contests at the local and affiliate levels and an annual national competition in the nation’s capital in June.
Next week, 2,649 students from 54 NHD affiliates will arrive in College Park, Maryland to compete at the NHD National Contest. These students were mentored by 1,114 teachers.
NHD Exhibit Showcase at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Title: Adolf Hitler: A Pioneer Of Propaganda In The Media
Student: Lillah Berkson
Teacher: Morgan Harding
School: Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy (Las Cruces)
Student projects can be viewed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
PARABLE OF THE PAPA
By Hakim Bellamy
“In short, fathers are the product of love(or lab)making…while daddies are a labor of love. A science of being, rather than a science of doing.”
A SOLDIER’S PASSAGE: A NEW MEXICO-MADE FILM EXPLORES THE ART OF SAYING “GOODBYE” TO DAD
By Paul Ingles
“I told my therapist, ‘Seeing my father take his last breath was probably the most profound thing I’ve ever witnessed. I keep playing it over and over in my head. And you know what? I don’t think I WANT to forget it.’ ‘You never will,’ he said assuredly.”
FROM MORA TO MARIACHI: MY DAD AND HIS MAGICAL JOURNEY OF MUSIC
By Rob Martinez
“Dad loved and respected the Penitentes. But he wanted to be a mariachi! The dream would have to wait.”
62 LOCAL STUDENTS AWARDED AT THE STATE COMPETITION
For the first time since the pandemic, 62 students emerged from among their competitors and took top honors at this year’s highly anticipated in-person New Mexico History Day state contest. Nearly 200 mid and high school students gathered from across the state to compete at the University of New Mexico on Saturday, April 15.