MHMS Students Compete In National History Day Competition

From Monsignor Haddad Middle School: Monsignor Haddad Middle School (MHMS), located in Needham, MA, is pleased to announce that for the fifth year in a row they are sending a student to the national contest this June 11 – 15, 2017 for the National History Day Competition.

National History Day (NHD) is a project that teaches students critical thinking and historical research skills centered around an annual theme, although specific topics are individually chosen. Over half a million middle and high school students and 30,000 teachers participate annually. The contest begins at the classroom level, then continues on to the district and state levels before finally reaching nationals.

At the state competition at Stoneham High School on Sunday, April 2, seventh grader Megan Carey of Dedham became the fifth student in five years from Monsignor Haddad Middle School in Needham to earn a trip to the national contest in Washington, DC. Carey competed in the junior Exhibit category, and focused on the Little Rock Nine for this year’s annual theme of Taking a Stand.NHD is a lot of hard work, but I picked a topic that I was really interested in and wanted to learn more about. The teachers at MHMS support NHD and encourage us to learn as much as we can about our topic,” said Carey."I am honored that I was selected to participate in the national competition in June and I am looking forward to the experience.

Monsignor Haddad Middle School is the only separately incorporated, stand-alone co- educational Catholic middle school in the Archdiocese of Boston. With less than 200 students in the entire school and only the seventh graders entering the NHD competition it is remarkable that for five years in a row MHMS has sent a student to the national contest. The school’s successful track record in the competition is due not only the students’ hard work, but also the interdisciplinary approach for the project across the school’s curriculum. “It’s a daunting project for seventh graders and requires sophisticated critical thinking, but MHMS students are being prepared to complete this project across the curriculum,” explained Social Studies teacher Emily Spence. “For example, they work on crafting and supporting arguments in the John Collins writing program, and school librarians work with students on research techniques and finding sources.”

Mrs. Bonnie Carey, Carey’s mother, agrees that the entire school supports and values the National History Day project: “The teachers are supportive of this initiative and I appreciate that many of them participate in judging school entries. Megan was thrilled that Ms. Spence was there for both the regional and state competition. It demonstrates that she supports NHD and the mission of Massachusetts History Day. Megan has received support and encouragement from students and teachers. The entire school seems to get excited about NHD and the students always do exceptionally well at the competition.”

Megan Kaye, MHMS ’14 and The Winsor School ’18, was the school’s first student earn a spot in the national level. The theme her year was Turning Points in History which Kaye explored with a dramatic performance about the Industrial Revolution as a turning point in women’s history. Representing the commonwealth of Massachusetts and MHMS at NHD Nationals was a true honor,” reflected Kaye. “The level of excellence at the competition was so high, but we all knew we were there to celebrate history. MHMS instilled in me a love of learning and a sense of curiosity about the world, so my National History Day project was really a lot of fun.

The lessons learned through NHD go beyond historical facts. The students also develop public speaking and research skills. “Participating in the National History Day competition through Monsignor Haddad Middle School has allowed me to acquire a solid background of public speaking and research skills before I began my high school career,” said Katie Coyle, MHMS ’16 and Ursuline Academy ’20, regarding her exhibit on A. Phillip Randolph for her theme of Leadership and Legacy. “This competition was an incredible learning experience and a once in a lifetime journey that I know I will never forget, and I am thankful for Monsignor Haddad for giving me that opportunity.

Sometimes the projects are very personal, especially in the case of last year’s winner Kristina McCarron, MHMS ’17, who was adopted from the Ukraine only three years earlier. She chose the Chernobyl disaster for her exhibit. “I was able to learn an incredible amount of material about a catastrophe that happened in the country where I was born. I had not heard about this crisis even though I grew up in that country for eleven years of my life” shared McCarron. Despite having no formal schooling the first eleven years of her life, McCarron was able to compete at the national level. “National History Day provided my daughter with the skills and self-confidence to public speak and present her work before panels of adult judges she had never met before,” offered her mother, Christina Caswell McCarron. “Being put on the spot and asked questions can be quite unnerving for anyone-- but she became stronger each time she competed.

These are invaluable skills she will take to high school and beyond!” These high schools McCarron references that the MHMS students matriculate to are an impressive list of the some of area’s best public and private institutions like Newton South High School, Needham High School, Noble & Greenough, St. Sebastian’s, and Ursuline Academy to name a few.

According to a 2016 press release, “Less than 1% of all entries make it to the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest,” said National History Day® Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “The level of research and presentation of the students at this level is astounding.

They truly represent the best and brightest minds of the next generation.” For Monsignor Haddad Middle School, having had five in the past five year of these “best and brightest minds” is a spectacular achievement.

Images Courtesy of Monsignor Haddad Middle School