Students from Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids and Nashua-Plainfield schools took top honors at the National History Day Contest last week at the University of Maryland.
Hadley Appel, Kailin Stiles-Pena and Addison Woelfel of Bettendorf Middle School medaled in their respective categories, according to a Thursday release from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. The program was coordinated in Iowa by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
In all, more than half a million middle and high school students around the world researched, developed and presented papers, exhibits, documentaries, websites and performances about historical topics related to an annual theme. This year’s theme was “Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.”
“Students who participate in the National History Day program not only have opportunities to conduct research at advanced levels and learn about history, they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will serve them all their lives,” State Historical Society of Iowa administrator Susan Kloewer said Thursday. “Congratulations to all our students for their achievements, and thank you to their teachers and families for their support.”
“Iowans can be very proud of this group of students and the work they put into their projects and presentations,” National History Day in Iowa coordinator Hanna Howard said. “They competed against thousands of other students from around the world and represented Iowa very well.”
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Overall, Iowa sent 62 students from 18 schools to the national contest this year. The 62 students emerged from a total of 498 competitors in the National History Day in Iowa state contest held earlier this year at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
The 2023 National Medalists included Bettendorf Middle School:
* 2nd Place in Junior Group Exhibit
* Students: Hadley Appel, Kailin Stiles-Pena and Addison Woelfel
* Teacher: Emily Pendleton
* Title: The Apgar Score: Advancing the Frontier of Neonatal Medicine
Bettendorf Middle School also was a national finalist in Junior Group Exhibit (8th Place), with students Kaylie Husser and Gabrielle Wischmann. Their teacher was Emily Pendleton and exhibit title, Margaret Sanger’s Planned Parenthood: A Frontier in Women’s Healthcare.
Bettendorf Middle also earned a 2023 Project Showcase Selection in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History Exhibit Showcase.
The Junior Group Exhibit featured students Hadley Appel, Kailin Stiles-Pena and Addison Woelfel with their exhibit, The Apgar Score: Advancing the Frontier of Neonatal Medicine.
The National History Day in Iowa program has been coordinated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, since 1994 and is sponsored by the State Historical Society, Inc., National Endowment for the Humanities and Bravo Greater Des Moines.
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