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By KEN LOPEZ Times Leader Correspondent
Saturday, May 13, 2000 Page: 7A
Only three years since making their first trip to the National History Day
competition, 20 Lake-Lehman High School students captured the senior level
state championship.
The competition was held Wednesday and Thursday at Penn State University in
State College.
Junior Sara Davis won for her research paper “Rachel Carson Man Against
the Earth: Rachel Carson and the Birth of Environmentalism.” Five other
Lake-Lehman students – Elizabeth Belidner, Melissa Brady, Dave Fine, Rob
Roderick and Jen Sutton – took second place for their documentary called
“Yields or Perish: Theft of the Black Hills.”
The six students will compete at the National History Day national
championships at the University of Maryland from June 11 to June 15.
“Students receive praise when they excel in athletics, which is great,”
said John Comitz, Lake-Lehman social studies department chairman. “This
competition represents a celebration of academic achievement.”
The students competed in five categories at the junior and senior division
of the competition, all of which dealt with U.S. history. They were required
to conduct research on their topic as well as compile a wide range of sources.
Presentations had to relate to the theme “Turning Points in History.”
Students did several types of projects including writing papers, table top
exhibits, documentaries and doing performances about their topics.
“The exhibits and papers were top-notch,” Comitz said, “This competition
really helps to reinforce students’ interests in academics.”
Comitz said students began preparing for the competition last October.
After selecting a topic, they spent seven months gathering sources and
creating exhibits. Students must be able to defend those sources in front of
the judges.
Call Lopez at 829-7242.