The public is invited to attend the Lake County History Day Contest on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at Leesburg High School, 1401 Yellow Jacket Way. Students have been tasked with creating a history project that aligns with this year’s National History Day theme, “Breaking Barriers in History.” Students choose to present their research in one of the following categories: historical paper; exhibit; performance; documentary, or website. The students’ work will be on display for the public to view from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. An awards ceremony will commence at 2:15 pm in the auditorium. The top two winners from each division and category will advance to the Florida History Day contest in Tallahassee on May 3 through May 5.
Participants were selected based on their exceptional performance at their school’s History Day program. Student projects are evaluated based on the historical quality of the project, the project’s relation to the annual theme, the clarity of presentation, and the project’s compliance with the individual category rules. Students have the opportunity to defend their projects during the judging period, which will take place earlier in the day.
Lake County Schools would like to thank Leesburg High School, the judges and all local businesses, service organizations, and patrons who have volunteered time and/or given donations for this year’s Lake County History Day. Through this generosity, Lake County students see that their education is important not only to themselves but also to their community.
National History Day is the nation’s leading educational program for history education in the schools. The program annually engages more than half a million students across the nation. Students research history topics of their choice related to an annual theme and create exhibits, documentaries, performances, and papers, which they may enter in competitions at the district, affiliate, and national levels. The program is designed to help students gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of the recorded past, become confident historical researchers, strengthen literacy and critical thinking skills and develop 21st century skills such as collaboration, time management, and perseverance.
The district coordinators for Lake County History Day are Natalie Heitman and Neysa Olivares-Torres of Lake County Schools Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department. To learn more about National History Day in Lake County, FL, contact them at (352) 253-6874 or (352) 253-6876. For more information on National History Day, contact the national office at (301) 314-9739 or visit the National History Day official web site at www.nhd.org
