For Immediate Release
March 26, 2010
Contact: Matthew Dunlap
207-626-8400

Maine’s National History Day Competition Winners Announced

AUGUSTA, MAINE—Secretary of State Matt Dunlap applauded students from 16 Maine schools for their efforts in preparing presentations for the annual History Day competition, held March 24th at the University of Maine at Augusta.

History Day is a national competition where individual students and small groups, in grades 6 through 12, develop websites, performances, exhibits, documentaries and papers on various topics in history. This year’s theme was Innovation in History: Impact and Change. Competitors were judged by experts in history from around Maine, and the winners of the several categories qualify to move on to the national competition held at the University of Maryland outside of Washington, D.C. in June.

The Statewide competition was made possible with the support of the Maine Humanities Council, Maine Historical Society, Margaret Chase Smith Library, the University of Maine at Augusta, Hannaford Bros. Co., the History Channel, and dozens of historical societies from across the State.

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap addressed the audience at this event that drew over 200 students. "Maine History Day allows students to bring history to life, through the use of exhibits and performances," stated Dunlap. "It also offers teachers a unique way to present a curriculum that is not confined to the pages of a textbook."

Finishing first among schools were Buckfield Junior/Senior High School of Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner, in the Junior Division, and Thornton Academy, of Saco, in the Senior Division. Also, each of the participating schools had one or more winning student project entries in the individual and group categories.

2010 Maine History Day Schools included:

Eric L. Knowlton School, Berwick
Noble Middle School, Berwick
Brunswick Junior High School, Brunswick
Buckfield Jr/Sr High School, Buckfield
Bonny Eagle High School, Buxton
Bonny Eagle Middle School, Buxton
Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, Deer Isle
TW Kelley Dirigo Middle School, Dixfield
Gorham Middle School, Gorham
Shapleigh Middle School, Kittery
Loranger Middle School, Old Orchard Beach
Thornton Academy, Saco
Scarborough Middle School, Scarborough
Hartford Sumner Elementary School, Sumner
Massabesic High School, Waterboro
Massabesic Middle School, Waterboro

For more on History Day, including competition results, please visit: www.maine.gov/sos/arc/historyday