The library was transformed into an exposition, theater stage, and cinema. The 7th and 8th graders of the Incarnate Word Academy (IWA) presented their history projects to the jurors.
The students could choose if they wanted to work alone or in groups and which kind of presentation they preferred: a classic poster board, a website, a documentary or a life presentation. Lily Hamilton enacted her presentation about women soldiers in uniform; other students created websites from scratch, like Emily, who completed impressive research about the Unangax People in Alaska who were deprived of their native land.
Audrina, Daniella, and Jane created a 10-minute documentary about Mahsa Amini, the Iranian woman who refused to wear the hijab and died in police custody. “I learned a lot about Iranian women and how they spoke up after Amini's death,” said Jane. Audrina interviewed her grandmother, who lives in Iran, and her father for the documentary, stating, “The women have suffered for more than 40 years, and now they are starting to fight for what is right.”
In the poster board section, first place featured an unusual topic: a copyright lawsuit involving the band Green Day, which used an image created by a street artist. James set up a stage with figurines of the band, along with lighting and sound. Second place went to Kai, who explored Title IX in sports. “I watch a lot of sports, and one of my favorite players – Sue Bird – had as many seasons as LeBron James and earned as many titles, yet she made $215,000 compared to $37.4 million,” he discovered.
One group that advanced to the regional contest chose food labels for their presentation: “All three of us love food, and we are interested in science,” says Mia Hernandez. They investigated the ingredients of their daily meals and how they changed over the years. “Now I read all the labels, and I am shocked how much sugar is in many foods,” she adds. Or how many carbs pasta – one of her favorites – has! The middle-level history teacher, Kelly Ramirez, is proud of her students, who spent weeks researching and preparing, resulting in creative and well-constructed projects. “They learned which sources to use — they had to use books; they couldn’t just Google it.”
The History Fair is just one example of how Catholic schools challenge students to reach their potential. Catholic Schools Week starts on Sunday, January 26, with many events, open houses, and parents and grandparents visiting the classrooms. Check your parish bulletin or Facebook page for Catholic School events in your area!