Kalamazoo, MI, May 4, 2012: June will once again find Kazoo School students visiting the University of Maryland to compete in National History Day. In the five years that Kazoo School has participated in this project-based research program, this is the fourth time that Kazoo School students have qualified for the National finals. This year over 5,000 Michigan students participated in History Day; 115 were chosen as National Finalists, and among them, the Gretta Berman Arbetter Kazoo School will be represented by four excellent entries:
Caroline Yapp
From Divine Right to the Bill of Rights: Revolution that Transformed the British Monarchy
Individual Exhibit
Hannah Lane-Davies
Iranian Revolution: Realities of Change
Individual Documentary
Lily Krone
The McCarthy Hearings: “An Age of Unreason”
Paper
Andrew Beck, Eli Cartier, Jacob Hurwitz
The Baseball Diamond: The Only Jewel Wrapped in Chains
Group Website
In addition to qualifying for the National Finals, Kazoo School students were recognized in other ways for their exceptional work: Hannah Lane-Davies was awarded the prize for Best Entry in Arab World, Islam and the American Muslim Experience, sponsored by the Arab American National Museum.
Four Kazoo School students; Jake Heasley, Andrew Beck, Lily Krone, and Maya Lannen were recognized for qualifying for State History Day four years in a row—each year they have participated in History Day. They were the only middle school students present with this achievement.
National History Day requires students to conduct historical research using primary sources. They share their findings and conclusions in original projects by creating papers, exhibits, websites, performances, or documentaries. Participation in National History Day is a demanding academic process, but it is one that the students sincerely enjoy and see the value of, both for now and for the future. Kazoo School 8th grader and two-time National Finalist Andrew Beck said, “History Day has made me a better writer and more comfortable with technology.” Another 8th grader, Caroline Yapp, who will also be making her second trip to Nationals said, “You learn so much about history and get to meet other people along the way.” Her mother, Petra Jodelis agreed, saying, “Participation in History Day gives our students an excellent opportunity to learn about a subject from an in-depth perspective; as they move onto high school they will have skills in research and writing they would not have developed otherwise.”
The Gretta Berman Arbetter Kazoo School, located at 1401 Cherry Street, is a private independent school serving children in preschool through eighth grade. www.kazooschool.org
