Ginny Brooks, left, and Trinity Martensen show their awards at State History Day in Rocklin.
The Humboldt County Office of Education’s Rising Stars Foundation supported 76 Humboldt County History Day champions to compete at California State History Day, held May 5-6, in Rocklin, CA. With a 2018 theme of “Conflict and Compromise”, over 1,200 top history students from throughout the state participate in the rigorous competition that featured multiple rounds.
Ultimately, a total of 20 local students earned recognition, including State Champions Ginny Brooks and Trinity Martensen, 7th graders from Zane, who won for their group documentary titled: Billie Jean King and the Original Nine: The Fight For Equality in Professional Tennis.
Brooks and Martensen will travel to the University of Maryland to compete at National History Day June 10-14. In addition, Maddox Distefano and Joseph Mathewson, 4th graders from Cutten School, won for their group poster titled: AC/DC: The War of Currents. Five junior division projects and two senior division projects were named finalists and three projects received special awards.
In addition to the Rising Stars Foundation, other local organizations/individuals who sponsored student travel to Rocklin were Rotary Club of Arcata Sunrise, Humboldt County League of Women Voters, Humboldt Sponsors, John H. Gross Memorial Native American Award, and Coast Central Credit Union.
Each spring, hundreds of students in fourth grade through high school compete in Humboldt County History Day, held at Humboldt State University. Through the process of researching and preparing creative and original History Day projects, students learn and analyze issues, ideas, people and events in history and apply that knowledge to their projects, reflecting that year’s National History Day theme.
Students can participate individually or in groups. Elementary students (4th-5th grade) can do 2-D posters while Junior division (6th-8th grade) and senior division (9th-12th grade) can choose from doing a performance, documentary, website, paper or exhibit.
Both Ginny Brooks and Trinity Martensen will be traveling across the country in June to represent Humboldt County at this prestigious competition. Any financial support that can be offered to assist in reducing their travel costs would be greatly appreciated by their families and the Humboldt County Office of Education. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and will go directly to benefit these great students.
To directly support Ginny and Trinity’s trip to National History Day, please contact the Humboldt County Office of Education at (707) 445-7030 or e-mail hmoore@hcoe.org.