Photo contributed by Bill West

Taking a Stand earned Columbia students from five schools opportunities to represent the Palmetto State at National History Day. The Columbia qualifiers will join students from all states and US territories for the week-long event at the University of Maryland in mid-June.

Beginning early in the academic year, junior and senior high school students whose teachers participate in National History Day began choosing how they wanted to interpret this year's topic, Taking a Stand.

Options included writing a historic paper, creating an individual or a group documentary, developing an individual or group performance, or designing and executing an individual or group exhibit. New this year was a category for the development of a website.

For the opportunity to present their entries at the state event, students had advanced at their school and regional levels earlier in the academic year. More than 9,000 SC students participated in the exemplary program, noted for its learning models. The SC Humanities Council sponsors National History Day in South Carolina.

Among the Columbia qualifiers, Hand Junior High School had the most students advance to nationals.

James Arney will present his junior historical paper on Larry Doby, and Daniel Haddad will present his on Ralph Nader at nationals in June.

Emma Shealy and Matthew Fulmer advanced to nationals for their junior group documentary, Taking a Stand for Academic Freedom: Teaching Evolution.

Luke Hodges 's junior individual documentary on John F. Kennedy's Stand Against Communism was named James F. Byrnes Outstanding Entry on American Political History.

Cameron Smith and Michaela Close received the Julia Peterkin Award for Outstanding Entry on the History of Arts and Entertainment for their junior group documentary on Dalton Trumbo and the Hollywood Ten: Taking a Stand for the First Amendment.

Charles Barrineau 's Francis Marion: The Swamp Fox Takes a Stand for Independence advanced as did Elizabeth Wright's Junior Individual Exhibit, The CharlesTown "Tea Parties." Wright's entry also received Caroliniana Library's Best Entry on South Carolina History. Carolyn Donchatz is their teacher.

Crayton Middle School students Mackenzie Sunday , Allison Day , Brennan Baylis , Meredith Nix , and Walker Stinnette advanced for their junior group documentary on the Burning of Columbia: Sherman Takes a Stand to End This War. Their teacher is Mary Ann Odom.

Kelly Mill Middle School's Gabrielle Rivera 's junior individual documentary on the Orangeburg Massacre advanced along with Tanasia Hall 's documentary on Southern Christian Leadership. Their teacher is Harmonica Hart.

Blythewood High School's Amanda Brandon 's senior paper on Martin Luther advanced to nationals. Alison Croop received the James F. Byrnes Award for Outstanding Entry on American Political History for her senior paper on Susan B. Anthony. Their teacher, Marc Turner , was named Teacher of Merit. He is the National Council of Teachers of Social Studies' 2005 Teacher of the Year.

Ridgeview High School's Sheneka White 's senior historical paper on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: Champions of Democracy received the John C. West Award for Outstanding Entry on World History. Her teacher is Michael Bates.

Mid-week in the presentations at the University of Maryland, students participating in National History Day go into Washington, DC, for tours and visits with their congressmen.

Catherine Davenport (l), Elizabeth Adkins, Michael Guinn, and Zachary Hodges give themselves a final go-over before giving their junior group performance for a panel of judges from the history profession during last weekend's National History Day event at the SC Department of Archives and History. The foursome, who dramatized Taking a Stand for Social Security and Reform , were among Columbia area students who qualified for the national event to be held at the University of Maryland in mid-June. The Hand Middle School team got their idea for interpreting Frances Perkins, Eleanor Roosevelt, Freda Kirchwey, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt during Workshop Theatre's production of Annie . Having a role in Annie put Adkins in contact with USC History Professor Dr. Ed Beardsley who appeared as FDR, as he often does in community dramatizations. With a heightened awareness that Social Security is a factor warranting attention, Adkins researched the topic while in New York over Christmas break 2005. The entourage shopped for their period attire at Hipwazee in Five Points. Their teacher is Carolyn Donchatz.