It's on to the National History Day competition for 74 Northeastern Pennsylvania students, including two students from Jim Thorpe High School, who became finalists in the regional competition at Jim Thorpe High School on Saturday, March 16.

Jim Thorpe High School students Elizabeth Strauss and Lauren VanEssendelft garnered second-place in the Senior (9-12) Exhibit - Group category with their display project Harlem Renaissance - No Fear for the "New Negro", which followed the African-American migration from the Jim Crow South to the art, literature, and rhythm and blues soul of Harlem.The students were supervised by Ronald Ellison and Christopher Holub, both teachers at the Jim Thorpe High School an advisors to their History Club. Ellison and Holub coordinated the National History Day at Jim Thorpe High School-the first time the event was hosted locally, and they think, a positive turning point in the area's local history.Previous National History Day regional competitions had been held at the Hazleton campus of Penn State University, Who declined to host it this year because of budget cuts. Participants were pleased with the accommodations at Jim Thorpe High School, especially its ability to hold the entire program in one building on a single floor, as well as to supplement the program with reenactors and a speaker and historic film programThe program's theme, "Turning Points in History - People, Ideas and Events", inspired the students' five types of projects: Documentary, Paper, Exhibit, Performance and Website Within each category, there were competitions in Group and Individual, Junior (6-8) and Senior (9-12), with winners selected in first, second and third places.Upwards of 300 students plus their families and friends, reenactors and members of the community came to the Region #6 competition from: Luzerne, Schuylkill, Columbia, Carbon, Montour, Lehigh, Northampton and Northumberland counties, which included 27 schools: 13 Public Schools, 8 Catholic Schools, and 6 Home Schools.Participating schools were: Allentown Central Catholic High School, Bethlehem Catholic High School, Broughal Middle School, Buonanno Home School, East Hills Middle School, Emmaus High School, Eyer Middle School, Fireside Academy, Fodale Home School, Jim Thorpe High School, Lower Macungie Middle School, Midd-West Middle School, Neumann Home School, Notre Dame High School, Orefield Middle School, Our Lady Of The Angels Academy Parkland High School, St. Ann School, St. John Vianney Regional School, St. Joseph The Worker St. Michael The Archangel School, Salisbury Middle School, Smith Home School, Springhouse Middle School, Valley Elementary Middle School, William Allen High School, and Ziegenfus Home School."This is a regional competition," explained Michael Kattner, the regional coordinator of National History Day. "The regional winners go on to the state contest, and then to the national contest. The state contest will be held at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania, and the national contest at the University of Maryland where the winners will receive full scholarships to the university. About 800 student competitors go to the State competition with about 75 from this contest."The number one thing that we are looking for in a project is historical accuracy and evidence of research and analysis," Explained Jeff Hawks, the state coordinator for National History Day in Pennsylvania. "The students have done a lot of work making their projects look great, but we are really looking at content. A nice presentation is part of the evaluation, but the content is the most important thing."The results of the National History Day Region 6 competition are:Junior (6-8) Documentary - Group1st place: Hannah Tamarkin, Alexa PolliceSesame Street: Merging Education & EntertainmentParkland School District, Springhouse Middle SchoolTeacher: Joshua Abrams2nd place: Christopher Alvarez, Andrew Spease, Michael GobreskiHenry Ford: Turning the World onto WheelsDiocese of Allentown, St. Michael The Archangel SchoolTeacher: Caitlin Tramontozzi3rd place: Carol Lin, Ryan BailisSteve Jobs: The iGenerationBethlehem Area School District, East Hills Middle SchoolTeacher: Tammy DuttonJunior (6-8) Documentary - Individual1st place: Carolyn WoodJohn Muir and Yosemite: A Turning Point in America's AttitudeNazareth, PA, Fireside AcademyTeacher: Salli Wood2nd place: Molly DougherThe Importance of Cryptology in the World War II:Diocese of Allentown, St. John Vianney Regional SchoolTeacher: Angela Salezze3rd place: Kevin WilliamsNelson Mandela and the End of Apartheid:East Penn, Eyer Middle SchoolTeachers: Matthew Krempasky, Sean BoyleJunior (6-8) Paper - Individual1st place: Brittany GelbThe Sherman Anti-Trust Act: Justice and Liberty in the Business WorldOrefield, PA, Lehigh, Parkland school district, Orefield Middle SchoolTeacher: Michael Messerschmidt2nd place: Nicholas NajarroThe Atomic Bomb: A Turning Point in HistoryDiocese of Allentown, St. Michael The Archangel SchoolTeacher: Caitlin Tramontozzi3rd place: Teja KadewariThe United Nations - A Turning Point in the History of Human RightsParkland School District, Springhouse Middle SchoolTeacher: Joshua AbramsJunior (6-8) Exhibit - Group1st place: Ally Young. Emily RowanFly Like a GirlBethlehem Area School District, East Hills Middle SchoolTeacher: Tammy Dutton2nd place: Summer Ramsey, Holly DiehlA Plunge into the Privy: Changing a Crappy PastEast Penn School District, Lower Macungie Middle SchoolTeacher: Patrick CampbellJunior (6-8) Exhibit - Individual1st place: Colyn DurishinFrom Sea to Shining Sea: Our National ParksDiocese of Allentown, St. John Vianney Regional SchoolTeacher: Angela Salezze2nd place: Lily DayWar of 1812: From Ashes to ActionEast Penn School District, Lower Macungie Middle SchoolTeacher: Patrick Campbell3rd place: Collin DuffThe Laying of the First Transatlantic CableOrefield, PA, Lehigh, Parkland school district, Orefield Middle SchoolTeacher: Michael MesserschmidtJunior (6-8) Performance - Group1st place: Margaret Fleck, Michael GrapsyThe Rosetta Stone: A Turning Point in History and EgyptologyDiocese of Allentown, St. Ann SchoolTeacher: Tamah Biello2nd place: Stephanie Klotz, Mackenzie Lilly, Calista ViewThe Struggle for Equal Rights: Marian AndersonParkland School District, Springhouse Middle SchoolTeacher: Joshua Abrams3rd place: Lisa Stein. Shelby Gluskin, Jordan SmithA Human Rat Trap: Nellie Bly's Experience in Blackwell's AsylumParkland School District, Springhouse Middle SchoolTeacher: Joshua AbramsJunior (6-8) Performance - Individual1st place: Max HakimKindertransportOrefield, PA, Lehigh, Parkland school district, Orefield Middle SchoolTeacher:Michael Messerschmidt2nd place: Kathryn LeeAbigail Adams: The Creating of a NationBethlehem Area School District, East Hills Middle SchoolTeacher: Tammy Dutton3rd place: Christiana LenzerMartha Graham Adds a Spin to DanceParkland school district, Orefield Middle SchoolTeacher: Michael MesserschmidtJunior (6-8) Web Site - Group1st place: Andrew Gigler, Kyle KleinbergThe Paralympics - A Turning Point for Athletes with DisabilitiesEast Penn School District, Lower Macungie Middle SchoolTeacher: Patrick Campbell2nd place: Sabrina Ghosh, Roy GhoshHIVIAIDS: The Media's Influence on the Public's PerceptionParkland School District, Springhouse Middle SchoolTeacher: Joshua Abrams3rd place: Jereme Chien, Daniel YuNikola Tesla: Lighting Up the WorldEast Penn School District, Lower Macungie Middle SchoolTeacher: Patrick CampbellJunior (6-8) Web Site - Individual1st place: Sunayana JampanaboyanaA Significant Turning Point in History: Salk's Polio VaccineParkland School District, Springhouse Middle SchoolTeacher: Joshua Abrams2nd place: Declan SchoenTurning Points: Invention of the Microprocessor and the MicrocomputerEast Penn, Eyer Middle SchoolTeacher: Matthew Krempasky Sean Boyle3rd place: Nicole O'NeillThe Women's Suffrage Movement: The Women Who Dared to Have a VoiceDiocese of Allentown, St. John Vianney Regional SchoolTeacher: Angela SalezzeSenior (9-12) Documentary - Group1st place: Lianna Bright, Ciara Foley, Peter DemyanA Turning Point in History: The Freedom RidesAllentown Diocese, Bethlehem Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Susan Stofanak2nd place: Sameer Lal, Sanket NarayanaSputnik: A Turning Point in America's Viewpoint on Space ExplorationEmmaus, PA, Lehigh, East Penn School District, Emmaus High SchoolTeacher: Melissa Montero3rd place: Emily Creighton, Jennifer RobertsTitle IX: The Never Ending StoryAllentown Central Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Adrienne MotleySenior (9-12) Documentary - Individual1st place: Mariana AversaThe Turning Point Towards Freedom: The Voting Rights Act of 1965Easton, Notre Dame High SchoolTeacher: Mary O'Sullivan2nd place: Kira ButzPsycho: Hitchcock's Darkest ComedyAllentown, William Allen High SchoolTeacher: Sally Wolfe3rd place: Katie BacherDemocracy In Flames: The Reichstag Fire East Penn School District, Emmaus High SchoolTeacher: Melissa MonteroSenior (9-12) Paper - Individual1st place: Kristina ShumMorse's Telegraph: A Turning Point in CommunicationParkland school district, Parkland High SchoolTeacher: Calliope Volikas2nd place: Carolyn BoulayQueen Elizabeth I: A Turning Point in HistorySalisbury, Salisbury High SchoolTeacher: Tanya Kennedy3rd place: Nafsikaa Sekkidou-MuellerBridge Not for Sale: The Brooklyn BridgeNazareth, PA, Fireside AcademyTeacher: Salli WoodSenior (9-12) Exhibit - Group1st place: Varun Sivakumar, Will Campbell, Jacob Miller, Mark FreemanThe Black Panthers: The Claws of JusticeParkland school district, Parkland High SchoolTeacher: Calliope Volikas2nd place: Elizabeth Strauss, Lauren VanEssendelftHarlem RenaissanceJim Thorpe Area School District, Jim Thorpe Area High SchoolTeacher: Ronald Ellison, Christopher Holub3rd place: Jared Brooks, Jennifer AnaniA Turning Point in the African Peoples' History: The Columbian ExchangeAllentown Diocese, Bethlehem Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Susan StofanakSenior (9-12) Exhibit - Individual1st place: Taylor lannottaTemple Grandin: A Turning Point in the Cattle Processing IndustryAllentown Diocese, Bethlehem Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Susan Stofanak2nd place: Malini RayDr. Joseph Bell: A Turning Point in Forensic Science and Criminal JusticeEast Penn School District, Emmaus High SchoolTeacher: Melissa Montero3rd place: Emma GerhingerInfections Begone: The Medical Miracle of PenicillinAllentown Diocese, Bethlehem Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Susan StofanakSenior (9-12) Performance - Group1st place: Ev Dundon, Madelyn DundonTemple Grandin: A JourneyAllentown Diocese, Bethlehem Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Susan Stofanak2nd place: Sujay Rajkumar, Josiah SmithThe Decline of the Roman Empire from 410 A.D. to 476 A.D.Parkland school district, Parkland High SchoolTeacher: Calliope VolikasSenior (9-12) Performance - Individual1st place: Hannah HakimThe Heroic Story that Soon Became a Tragedy: The S.S. Sf. LouisParkland School District, Parkland High SchoolTeacher: Calliope Volikas2nd place: Natalie TractmanNellie Bly: A Catalyst in HistoryParkland School District, Parkland High SchoolTeacher: Calliope Volikas3rd place: Abigail CreightonThe Space Race: An Expanding FrontierDiocese of Allentown, Allentown Central Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Adrienne MotleySenior (9-12) Web Site - Group1st place: Liam Power, Christopher LoThe EncyclopedieParkland School District, Parkland High SchoolTeacher: Calliope Volikas2nd place: Anthony Haring, Brett Mathews, Jonas ParkThe Renaissance and Its Effects on the Mores of Medieval EuropeDiocese of Allentown, Allentown Central Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Adrienne Motley3rd place: Matt Latshaw, Saagar Asnani, Changyan Wang, Ishan PhadkeThe Russian Revolution: From the Frying Pan into the FireParkland School District, Parkland High SchoolTeachers: Calliope Volikas, Kamee MitraSenior (9-12) Web Site - Individual1st place: Elton VeseliThe Manhattan Project: A Turning Point in Science, World War II, and WarfareEast Penn School District, Emmaus High SchoolTeacher: Melissa Montero2nd place: Anna ColanduoniThe Birth of the

K.K.K.Parkland School District, Parkland High SchoolTeacher: Calliope Volikas3rd place: Marini MadawelaTurning Point: The Airplane and Aviation's Continual JourneyAllentown Diocese, Bethlehem Catholic High SchoolTeacher: Susan Stofanak