On February 22nd, 313 students from the El Paso region took part in El Paso History Day at UTEP. Over 40 of those students were selected as regional finalists and will go on to represent their schools at Texas History Day in Austin at the end of April. Winners at the state level will move on to compete at National History Day in Washington D.C. in June. Participation in the program continues to grow with more than 500,000 students participating annually across the nation.
History Day is an academic enrichment program for students in grades 6-12. Students select topics connected to an annual theme and complete their own in-depth research on the topic. This year, the annual theme is Breaking Barriers in History. Students present their conclusions by creating museum-style exhibits, media documentaries, research papers, interactive websites, and dramatic performances.
The El Paso County Historical Society sponsors the event along with generous donations from the Gorman Family of El Paso. Pictured below is the Society’s President, Melissa Hutson, awarding Kyle Connor from Chapin High School the El Paso County Historical Society Gorman Family Award for the Best Overall Senior Individual Entry. To the right is the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Dr. Denis O’Hearn.