North Puget Sound region excels in National History Day contest

A Shoreline History Day team huddles over last minute details
Photo by Don Wilson

Randy Schnabel is a retired Shoreline High School teacher who was instrumental in keeping History Day front and center at Shorewood. He has continued to lead in the History Day organization, and recruited many experienced Shoreline and Lake Forest Park people as judges.

By Randy Schnabel

North Puget Sound region students and teachers created an exceptional record this year at the National History Day contest: ours is only one of seven regions in the state, but 14 of the 24 final round entries that state coordinator Mark Vessey listed were from our region.  

What are the odds of that happening?  Each NHD "Affiliate" (all 50 states plus Guam, American Samoa, international schools in China, Korea, Singapore) is allowed two entries in each of nine categories at both junior and senior division levels.  My math says that would be a total of 1944 possible entries in the competition.  Not all affiliates brought the maximum allowed 36 entries but there were about 2800 students in the competition.  

Washington brought the maximum 36 entries.  To become one of our 24 finalists, an entry would have to place first or second in one of seven preliminary rounds of 12 to 14 entries.  Final rounds would each have 12 to 14 entries.  Very unlikely for an entry to receive a first place medal but Washington had four, two of which are from our region.

Give yourself permission to brag about our students and teachers and pat yourself on the back for your role in providing a regional contest for them.  Their response to the competition made their projects better.