AUSTIN, Texas—More than 1,300 students, teachers and parents will travel to Austin this Mother’s Day weekend to attend the 24th annual Texas History Day Competition hosted by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA).
More than 800 6th- through 12th-grade students who have won their local and regional history fairs will be contending in this statewide event.
The theme this year is “Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History.” There are separate categories for junior division (grades six through eight) and senior division (grades nine through 12). In each division, students choose a topic that fits with the annual theme. There are seven contest categories for individual and group projects in formats ranging from performances, documentary presentation, exhibits and papers.
About 60 students from the Texas History Day will advance to the National History Day, June 13-17, in College Park, Md. Texas students have fared well at the national event, winning numerous special prizes and scholarships.
“This is one of the premier events of the year, and the quality of the student work is exceptional,” said Ron Tyler, TSHA director. “If anyone needs to be reassured that the public schools are still capable of inspiring the best work in students, Texas History Day will provide that confidence.”
Texas History Day is sponsored by the TSHA in cooperation with the Center for Studies in Texas History at The University of Texas at Austin. This year’s contributors are the College of Liberal Arts, The Institute of Texan Cultures, Locke Liddell and Sapp LLP, Siemens Corporation, The Texas Jewish Historical Society, The Texas Oral History Association and Mrs. Willie Lee Gay.
For more information contact: Mary Hyde, 512-471-1525.
