LEWISBURG — Two Tri-County North seventh grade students will be competing at the National History Day Competition at the University of Maryland, College Park, June 9-14.

Devin Corrington and Parker Williams were recognized during the middle school end-of-year assembly for their accomplishments. Preble County Commissioners Rodney Creech and Chris Day presented plaques to the boys.

According to Ohio History Connect, “Ohio History Day is a free social studies program that meets all of the Ohio’s Learning Standards and engages students in a dynamic, creative, and rigorous learning process along the way.

“Ohio History Day is an affiliate of National History Day (NHD), an exciting program that makes history come alive for students. Students learn history by doing history. Students conduct historical research that leads to imaginative exhibits, documentaries, original performances, websites and scholarly papers. NHD reinforces classroom teaching by rewarding students of all abilities for their scholarship, individual initiative and cooperative learning.”

Every year has a theme, and this year’s was Conflict and Compromise. According to Ohio History Connect, the idea is to frame students’ research within a historical theme.

“The theme is chosen for the broad application to world, national or state history and its relevance to ancient history or to the more recent past. The 2018 theme is Conflict & Compromise in History. The intentional selection of the theme for National History Day is to provide an opportunity for students to push past the antiquated view of history as mere facts and dates and drill down into historical content to develop perspective and understanding.

“In addition, it opens up opportunities for students to think creatively about history. For example, how can this theme also relate to science, literature, art, or mathematics?”

Corrington and Williams started at the local level at Tri-County North. They both received a superior rating, which allowed the boys to move on to regionals. Based on feedback received from the judges, the boys improved their projects. Regionals were held in Piqua.

At regionals, Corrington and Williams again received a superior rating, which allowed them to move onto the State competition. Again, the students improved their project, studied, and continued to learn up until the very day before competition.

On Saturday, April 21, over 700 students from all over Ohio competed at the Ohio State History Day competition. Corrington and Williams won first place for their exhibit, entitled, “Nuclear Conflict, Peaceful Compromise.”

Besides winning first place, the boys won the Advanced Digital Researcher Award, the Maritime Award, and $275. They will both advance to the National History Day Competition at The University of Maryland, College Park in June.

Williams’ mother said, “Devin and Parker spent countless hours over the past year researching and learning about the Cuban Missile Crisis. They traveled from coast to coast last summer, which added to their experience. The boys visited March Air Base in Riverside, California where they learned about the Minuteman II Missile.

”At The John F. Kennedy President Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, they found many of their primary sources,including letters, photographs, and newspaper articles. The boys were lucky enough to interview three Missileers who worked on Atlas missiles while they were on alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis — Charlie Simpson, Joe Andrew and Jim Widlar. Here in Ohio, Devin and Parker visited the National Museum of the United States Air Force and an actual old fallout shelter in Lewisburg.

“A week before the local History Day competition, Devin and Parker were asked to write a article for the Ohio History Connections magazine, Echoes. They were asked to write about their experiences and what they learned the previous year. Their story was published in May.

“History Day is about much more than creating a project for school. It is about finding your passion for history, meeting people, learning new things, visiting places you have never been, and having new experiences. Most importantly, it is about sharing those experiences with your family and spending time with your best friend!”