Sioux County students earn top honors at History Day

Two of the first place winners came from the Glen School in eastern Sioux County. Travis Johnson won top honors with his individual exhibit on wanted posters and Nick Buckley’s paper on comedian George Carlin won a first.

Another Glen student, Luke Prosser, placed second with his individual documentary, which was on the role of the press in the American society.

First and second place winners are eligible for the state contest that will be in Lincoln in April.

Two entries from Sioux County High School in Harrison were the only ones in the senior division, but were high quality and will advance to the state contest. They were a documentary on Stonehenge prepared by Shelly Fox and a group exhibition on the Navajo Code used during World War II presented by Clay Anderson and Evan Fox.

Students from the Harrison Elementary School earned a pair of second place finishes and will advance to the state contest. They were an individual exhibit entitled “From Frontline to Headline” prepared by Zach Windsor and a group exhibit, “Tobacco’s KOOL Propaganda” presented by five 8th grade girls. The quintet is comprised of Elizabeth Ellicott, Kodi Nunn, Ariel Skavdahl, Jodi Stangle and Sarah Windsor.

Another Harrison entry on the Pony Express entered by four fifth and sixth grade boys won third place in the group exhibit category. The students are Sean Grote, Clint Nunn, Casey Stangle and Clayton Wolfe.

Students from the Kewanee School east of Valentine and the Ainsworth Middle School were others with entries from Friday’s contest at CSC that will be entered state contest.

The contest was directed by Dr. Sam Rankin, CSC Board of Trustees history professor, and students from Phi Alpha Theta History Fraternity.

The top three in each category:

Senior Division

Individual Documentaries—1, Shelly Fox, Sioux County High at Harrison, “Stonehenge.”

Group Exhibit—1, Sioux County High (Clay Anderson and Evan Fox), “Navajo Code: “Moasi-Ne-ahs-jah Be Dzeh.”

Junior Division

Individual Documentaries—1, Marshall Simmons, Kewanee School, “America’s Secret Weapon in World War II: Navajo Code Talkers;” 2, Luke Prosser, Glen School, “The Key Turns Both Ways;” 3, Megan Maxwell, Ainsworth, “Why Segregation Is No Longer: Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.”

Group Documentaries—1, Ainsworth Middle School (Taylor Gross, Vance Heyer and Ethan Johnson), “Hieroglyphics: Key to Understanding Ancient Egypt; ” 2, Ainsworth Middle School (Claire Kozisek and Cirara Philben), “African-American Spirituals.”

Individual Exhibits—1, Travis Johnson, Glen School, “Wanted Posters: The Communique Everyone Understands;” 2, Zach Windsor, Harrison, “From Frontline to Headline;” 3, Jake Murphy, Harrison, “Carrier Pigeons.”

` Group Exhibits—1, Kawanee School (Kami Epke and Erin Dunn), “Trapped in the Ghetto” The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Terezin;” 2, Harrison Elementary (Elizabeth Ellicott, Kodi Nunn, Ariel Skavdahl, Jodi Stangle and Sarah Windsor), Tobacco’s KOOL Propaganda;” 3, Harrison Elementary (Sean Grote, Clint Nunn, Casey Stangle, Clayton Wolfe), “Pony Express: Communicating by Horseback.”

Performances—1, Ainsworth Middle School (Neiley Fernau, Skyler Jacobsen Tessa Jacobsen and Rhe’Ann McBride, “The Secret Passages of Ann Frank: Our Key to Understanding the Holocaust.”

Papers—Nick Buckley, Glen School, “The Images of George Catlin.”

 

Photo Information:

Top left: Travis Johnson, a student at the Glen School west of Fort Robinson, won first place in individual exhibit at Western Nebraska History Day with his display of wanted posters.

 

Bottom right: Five eighth-grade students from the Harrison Elementary School earned a trip to the state history contest that will be in Lincoln next month by placing second at the district contest at Chadron State College last Friday with this group exhibit, “Tobacco’s KOOL Propaganda. The presenters, from left, are Jodi Stangle, Ariel Skavdahl, Elizabeth Ellicott, Kodi Nunn and Sarah Windsor.

 

Top right: These students from the Kewanee School east of Valentine earned first place with their group exhibit on the holocaust. They are Kami Epke (left) and Erin Dunn.