Ninth graders Tobie H. and Maci Z. and 10th grader Miana S. won at the Los Angeles County National History Day competition and will compete at the State level in May! The theme of this year's competition was "Leadership and Legacy." Tobie and Maci participated in the group performance category, focusing on Larry Kramer and his efforts to raise awareness about AIDS; and Miana entered in the historical research paper category, writing about Mao Zedong and his influence in the shaping of modern China. This is the first year that Wildwood students entered the competition, which makes the win even more special. One of the event coordinators made a point of commending the team for this exciting acheivement. The teams were mentored by D3 Humanities Teachers Jason David, Annie Barnes, and Ariane White. 

National History Day is a year-long educational program that encourages students to explore local, state, national, and world history. After selecting a historical topic that relates to an annual theme, students conduct extensive research by using libraries, archives, museums, and oral history interviews. They analyze and interpret their findings, draw conclusions about their topics’ significance in history, and create final projects that present their work. These projects can be entered into a series of competitions, from the local to the national level, where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators. National History Day – California, one of the largest state History Day competitions, takes place in 34 counties and reaches some 44,000 students each year, culminating in an annual state wide contest with nearly 1,000 participants.

We're so proud of you, Tobie, Miana, and Maci (pictured above with Divison Three Humanities Teacher Jason David)!