Banning 5th Graders To Compete At CA National History Day Competition

BANNING, CA — Two Banning fifth graders have won a spot at the National History Day-California State Competition in May after excelling at a Riverside County event.

Melanie Avila and Ella Brock won in the Elementary Group Poster category at the Riverside County National History Day competition on Feb. 22 for their project: "Restoring Native Tradition."

“We are incredibly proud of Melanie and Ella for their dedication to historical research and storytelling,” Banning Unified School District Superintendent Terrence Davis said. “Their project sheds light on an important issue that isn’t widely recognized, and their success reflects their passion for learning and making a difference.”

Their project explores the impact that dam construction has had on Native American communities and the recent efforts to remove dams to restore natural resources, according to an announcement from the school.

“This project was important to us because we had never heard about this issue before,” Melanie said. “We wanted to make a difference and help others understand how Native American communities were affected.”

The poster features a border with colors representing Native American heritage and a background of the Klamath River. Mountains and greenery are seen on the poster to illustrate the beauty of the landscape.

Melanie and Ella showcased before-and-after photos of the dam construction, showing the changes to the environment and the impact on food sources.

What's more, the students included a map of the Klamath River and information about salmon, a vital resource for Native communities that was severely impacted by the dams, according to the release.

May 1 through 4, the pair will next compete at California State University, Sacramento.

“History is interesting because we get to learn about the past and see how we can make the world a better place,” said Melanie.

Ella also added, “It’s fascinating to see how things from the past affect us today.”