Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, June 22, 2009

Kelsey Brown and Julie Graf of Winburn Middle School earned an award at the National History Day competition, held the week of June 14 at the University of Maryland. 

Kelsey and Julie, who were students of Theresa Buczek, collaborated on a project called “Photography Can Light Up Darkness and Expose the Ignorance: Lewis Hine.” Their research on Hine, who used his camera as a tool for social reform, garnered “Outstanding Entry” honors for Kentucky in the national contest.  

At the state competition in April, Julie and Kelsey’s project won the Best Exhibit award and took top honors in the Group Historical Exhibit category.

National History Day’s core program is the annual contest for grades 6-12. The students conduct extensive research related to a theme and present their findings in one of four categories: exhibits, documentaries, performances or papers. The 2009 theme was “Individual in History: Actions & Legacy.”

The competition has two divisions: junior (grades 6-8) and senior (grades 9-12). Students can participate individually or as part of a group. The contests start at a local or district level and progress to state and national competitions. 

• Complete results from the national contest