For the fourth consecutive year Jim Thorpe Olympians hosted Pennsylvania's regional history contest in tandem with National History Day.

Since 1974 The National History Day program has been conducted as a yearlong performance-based educational program with students competing for one of only three winning spots in regionals to ascend to state level, eventually working up to the nationals in June."It's a day filled with history and students showing off academic abilities," said Lauren Van Essendelft, a recent Jim Thorpe high school graduate and former president of the history club. "It's refreshing for kids to come here and be entertained but also challenge their minds and discuss history," she said.The all-day event began at 8 a.m., when students reported to the high school to set up exhibits, websites and performances. Throughout the school, several activities were set up for students and parents to enjoy, including guessing historical objects, a raffle and old-fashioned parlor games."Students can continue to explore and have fun between presentations, we have a Victrola and an old skittles board. That was a game often found in saloons as a way to part people with their money," said History Club co-adviser and high school teacher Christopher Holub. "We try to have things for people to do. It makes for a good day. It's nice because the public gets to come to this.""We're trying to keep history alive," said Michael Kattner, History Day Hazleton Regional Coordinator. "We're so grateful for the staff, faculty, and administration here in Jim Thorpe."This year's History Day theme was "Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History." Students competed in eight categories, including individual historical paper, individual exhibit, group exhibit, individual performance, group performance, individual documentary, group documentary and individual/group website.Of the 230 students from the 21 participating schools, Jim Thorpe students Christian Gould and Brian DeMarco took home third place for their "Children of the Light" documentary. The film is based on electricity's founding fathers, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, with the name stemming from the birth of Tesla in Croatia. According to the students' research, Tesla was born during a violent thunderstorm. The midwife said it was a bad omen and he would be a child of darkness. His mother disagreed, and holding him in her arms, she said he would be a "child of the light."The judges looked at different facets of all the students' entries; historical quality, accuracy, research and presentation. The evaluation centered on the students' ability at conducting historical research, interpreting the research and drawing conclusions."Primary research is key. Using diaries, photos, old news stories and then work to come to their own conclusion about history," Kattner said.The gym housed rows of long-researched, handmade exhibits ranging from women's' suffrage to Gibson Guitars, Andy Warhol and Martin Luther King Jr. displays.Kelly Cannone, a Macungie resident and mother of a participating student, was impressed with the students' hard work."It's amazing. The students took on extra outside work every day. They really went above and beyond."Senior duo Gould and DeMarco will take their film to the National History Day State competition at Millersville University in May, where they hope to take home another win, sending them to the national competition level in early summer.