2008-2009+National+History+Day

code format="owner" "The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies"

During the 2008-2009 school year National History Day invites students to research topics related to the theme The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies. A combination of the right person at the right time in history has powerful outcomes which can be both inspiring and catastrophic as illustrated by the lives of such figures as George Washington, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Rachel Carson, Cesar Chavez, Jane Addams, or Idi Amin Dada and Adolf Hitler. Inspirational individuals ask difficult questions of society and themselves and believe passionately in an issue. Examples of individuals who cared deeply about a cause and nudged history forward are Eleanor Roosevelt in her quest for human rights, John Peter Zenger and the fight for freedom of the press, and Walter Reed in his quest for a cure for yellow fever. The list can extend exponentially. Individuals who were activists, world leaders, scientists, or artists followed their fervor and focused their life’s work that eventually became a catalyst for events to unfold in history. In each case the decisions and the route that the individual followed ignited a change.

This year, 63 West Catholic students participated in the National History Day Philadelphia competition at the National Constitution Center.

Stephen King: “A German Hero” individual exhibit Kiersten Adams: Adolf Hitler individual exhibit Weena Doyle: Albert Einstein individual exhibit Brandon Paynter: Ali individual exhibit Deanna Glover: Arthur Ashe individual exhibit Hanh Nguyen: “Audrey Hepburn: From Star to Savior” historical paper Andrea Lorenos: Augustus Caesar historical paper Anthony Fluck: “Bombin’ Baron” historical paper Samnie Coleman and Samantha Gibson-Kiahour: Charles Taylor group exhibit Jaison Sebastian: “Dr. J: The Man Who Reached New Heights” historical paper Vanessa Davis, Amirah Grasty, and Nina Satterwhite: Edgar Allen Poe group exhibit Samuel Amare: Elvis Presley historical paper Limunga Musonge: Frida Kahlo historical paper Christiana Walker: “Frida Kahlo: Life and Legacy” historical paper Brandon Lokey: George W. Carver individual exhibit Bria Raynor: George Washington Carver individual exhibit Cole Robertson: “George Washington: American Revolutionary” individual exhibit Jordan Cole: “Gods of Soccer” individual exhibit Anthony Nguyen: Guan Yu historical paper Huong Nguyen: Henry VIII historical paper Joyce Bullock: “Hollywood Starlet Marilyn Monroe” individual exhibit Bruce Mapp, Jr.: Jerry Rice historical paper Adam Springer-Roberts: “Jerry Rice: A Great Catch” individual exhibit Hyonok Joy Kim: “Joan of Arc: The French Heroine” individual exhibit Ian Johnston, Elena Marrero, Odile Ta, and Eric Wyant: John F. Kennedy group exhibit Liana Taylor: “Joseph Stalin: The Red Man of Steel” historical paper Stephanie Tran: Leonardo da Vinci historical paper Geof Walker: “Life in the Eyes of Jackie Robinson” historical paper Maiya Hartman: Mansa Musa historical paper Wenyu Xin: Mao Zedong historical paper Natalie Polillo: Marilyn Monroe historical paper Vincent Tu: Martin Luther historical paper Paul Bikibili: Maya Angelou individual exhibit Matthew Crowley: “Michael Collins: An Irish Patriot” historical paper Amani Gordon, Lea Johnson, and Jackie Ockimey: Michael Jackson group performance Jazmin Booker: “Musical Notes of TLC” historical paper Mercedes Dressler: Niccolo Machiavelli historical paper Katharine Davis: “Paving the Road for the Future: Benjamin Franklin” historical paper Ashley Torres, Chelsey Rivera, Catalina Ta: Ponce de Leon group documentary Anthony Fleet: Roberto Clemente historical paper Portia Herndon: Ruby Bridges historical paper Neisha Black and Doriann Fletcher: Sacagawea group exhibit Daniel Benny: Sigmund Freud historical paper Trevor Johnson and Michael Grogan: “The Iron Horse of Baseball” group exhibit Christina Williams-Potter, Isaiah Freeman, Yoseph Wubayeh: “The King of         England: Henry VIII” group performance Tehetna Gebreamanuel: “The Life and Times of Princess Diana” historical paper Christian Waites: “The Marilyn Monroe” individual exhibit Dyamond Robinson: “The Maya Angelou” individual exhibit Kiara Jackson: “The Presley Paper” historical paper Dontae Lewis and Jeremy Richardson: “The Sly Foxx” group exhibit Chante Jennings: “Unfinished Dreams: Marilyn Monroe” historical paper

Trevor Johnson and Michael Grogan received an Honorable Mention for their group exhibit on Lou Gehrig code