RIVERSIDE – Fights for human rights, revolutionary cultural moments, historical incidents, and scientific breakthroughs, are just a few of the subjects of 201 projects from 386 students set to compete at the 2024 Riverside County National History Day. The event will feature submissions from students representing seven school districts, and multiple private and charter schools from Riverside County on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Canyon Springs High School (23100 Cougar Canyon Drive, Moreno Valley, CA 92557).
Featuring the 2024 theme of “Turning Points in History”, the competition features students in grades 4-5 who will participate in the poster and podcast categories, and junior division (grades 6-8) and senior division (grades 9-12) students competing in the following individual and group categories:
- Documentary
- Performance
- Exhibit
- Website
- Podcast
The schedule for the day includes:
- 7:30 a.m. – Check-In
- 8:30 a.m. – Interviews
- 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Public viewing for documentary, website, and podcast in gymnasium
- 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Public viewing for exhibits in multi-purpose room
- 4:00 p.m. – Awards Ceremony in gymnasium
The top three finishers in each category in the junior and senior division, and the top four finishers in the poster and podcast competition for 4th and 5th grade students, will advance to the National History Day-California State Competition to be held April 19-21, 2024, at California State University, Sacramento. Winners at the state level advance to the National History Day Competition, June 9-13, 2024, at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Students from the following Riverside County school districts and private schools are set to participate:
- Alvord USD
- Banning USD
- Corona-Norco USD
- Moreno Valley USD
- Riverside USD
- Romoland SD
- Val Verde USD
- St. Jeanne de Lestonnac School
- Springs Charter School
A selection of entries for 2024 includes:
Toy Story, To Infinity And Beyond: A Turning Point in the World of Film
Category: Individual Documentary – Junior Division
Student: Nathaniel Firetag
School: Matthew Gage Middle School
District: Riverside Unified School District
Project Description From Student: Toy Story created new techniques, new ideas, and new animation styles that are still used today. Every Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and Illumination movie from the last 20 years, would not have been possible without Toy Story. The movie was a groundbreaking addition to the film world and a necessary turning point in the industry’s direction.
The Columbine Massacre: Transforming School Safety Nationwide
Category: Group Documentary – Junior Division
Students: Alan Goc-ong, Ayden DeLaTorre, Jacob Rodgers, Joaquin Lopez
School: Vista Verde Middle School
District: Val Verde Unified School District
Project Description From Students: Due to the heavily criticized police response to the Columbine massacre, police responses to school shootings have been completely reworked. It also sparked fear across the nation, causing schools to develop a plan in case of a shooting.
From Harlem to the Heart of America: The Musical Legacy of the Harlem Renaissance
Category: Group Podcast – Senior Division
Students: Brice Brown, Katelyn Cherney
School: Martin Luther King High School
District: Riverside Unified School District
Project Description: Exploring the influence of black musicians in the 1920s society helps to create an understanding of the rich history that contributed to the advancement of civil rights for the African American community. In addition, it also provides insight into the evolution of the music industry from this pivotal era.
The Bessemer Process: And How it Led to Industrial Expansion
Category: Individual Poster – Youth/Elementary
Student: Jack Hitchcock
School: Springs Charter School
Project Description: I’ve been interested in metalworking for a while. I started to get interested in it when I kept watching my favorite show, Ninjago. The Bessemer process fits this year’s theme because it changed the way things were bought and sold, the way buildings were constructed, and led to industrial expansion in the U.S. and Britain.
The 19th Amendment of the United States
Category: Group Performance – Junior Division
Students: Belagia Faltas, Mary Rockhold, Mia Mata
School: El Cerrito Middle School
District: Corona-Norco Unified School District
Project Description From Students: The amendment catalyzed social change, paving the way for advancements in the workplace and education. It also influenced global women's movements, empowering women, and setting a legal precedent for addressing gender discrimination. It remains a landmark achievement in the ongoing quest for equality and justice.
Harmony Unleashed: Multi-Tracking and Music Innovation
Category: Individual Performance – Senior Division
Student: Amiya Davis
School: Canyon Springs High School
District: Moreno Valley Unified School District
Project Description From Student: I came up with the idea to do this topic while listening to the Beatles. When deciding what type of project I wanted to do, I knew that there was no other choice but a performance for me, as acting is one of my passions. Multitracking revolutionized music and paved the way for people to make new forms of music like pop, indie, R&B, and more.
The Rise and Fall of Lobotomy: A Turning Point in Psychiatry
Category: Individual Website – Junior Division
Student: Kayla Nguyen
School: Prado View Elementary School
District: Corona-Norco Unified School District
Project Description From Student: Despite its dark history, lobotomy was a turning point in psychiatry because its failure led to further understanding of mental health and better treatments.
Personal vs. Political: 1968 Miss America Pageant Protest Advancing Women’s Liberation
Category: Group Performance – Senior Division
Students: Amanda Acosta, Angelina Encarnacion, Laura Omiwade, Vianca Villena
School: Rancho Verde High School
District: Val Verde Unified School District
Project Description From Students: In 1968, members of the New York Radical Women publicly protested the traditionalist nature of the Miss America Pageant. Aiming to gather support for the Women’s Liberation Movement, they clashed with contestants and antifeminists about women’s voices in business and politics.
Into the Heart of Africa: A Turning Point in African Colonization
Category:Individual Documentary – Senior Division
Student: Anusha Mahajan
School: Centennial High School
District: Corona-Norco Unified School District
Project Description From Student: I chose this topic after listening to a podcast about the cobalt mining industries in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The saddening and horrific stories inspired me to choose this topic so I could not only report on the history of the country, but also connect it to, and raise awareness on, the cobalt exploitation happening there today.