BMS students engage in history

MEEKER I Students at Barone Middle School took part in the National History Day contest. The annual event features a new theme every year and invites students from across the country to compete. This year’s theme was “turning points in history.”
Students began by choosing a topic, determining which category they wished to compete in, and relating their topic to the theme. The categories included exhibit, website, documentary, performance or paper. More than 20 students participated in the local event with members from the community helping judge projects. The top project in each category will go to the regional competition this Saturday in Grand Junction.
The following students will compete this weekend: exhibits category: Kendra Nelson, spies; Virginia Hall, Linda Limbardi and Alondra Olivas, cotton gin; Julia Eskelson, Elizabeth Blackwell; Anna Walsh, Peyton Burke and Dom Cardile, Kristallnacht; Layton Bair, Navy Seals; Kinzy Burke and Reese Pertile, sign language; Justin Lawson, Tesla; Faith Goedert and Loran Casias, women’s rights; Madeline Amack, Apple technology; Tell Blanke, Cody Nielsen and Sheridan Harvey, Tet offensive; Bryn Walter, Halle Ahrens and Meghan Smith, 9/11 – turning point in security; and Lori Ann Klinglesmith and Maggie Phelan, Berlin Wall. In the documentary category Delenn Mobley will present “Cold Cereal.” In the website category Casey Turner and Hunter Garcia have created stealth technology, and Austin Russell, Kasey Rosendal and Brett McGruder created Barrett .50.
The top three projects in each category will advance out of the West Slope Region and into the state competition held in Denver in May. The top two projects then advance to the national competition held at the University of Maryland in June. National placers are awarded scholarship money. This is a fun way to get kids involved and excited about history. Kris Casey, the teacher responsible for getting the event together, has given students the opportunity to showcase their ideas, learn through research and educate each other in a very engaging way.