Maritime History sponsored by the National Maritime Historical Society conflict? What happens if a failed compromise leads to an even larger conflict? Throughout this academic year, students will need to ask themselves these questions and more. The National History Day competition finals will be held in June 2018 at the University of Maryland. Regional competitions are held between March and May in most states. The top two entries in every category at the state/ affiliate level are then invited to the national contest. The coordinators for each state are listed on the NHD website at www.nhd.org, which is also the best place to find resources for students and teachers, from how to pick a topic to how to conduct research, and much more. Students should start by asking their history or social studies teachers for help. If they choose a maritime-related topic, they'll automatically be considered for the National National History Day Opening Ceremony M armme ·· H'1stonca · 1 Soc1ety · 's spec1a · 1 pnze · at t h e state competitions in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. If your state is not listed here, please contact NMHS to get your state involved. Historians and educators who would like to participate (volunteer as a judge, for example), should contact the National Maritime Historical Society at 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), or via email at nmhs@ seahistory.org. Matthew Clark, Allison Hodge, and Sydney Fox ofBuchanan High School in Clovis, California, took first place in the national competition for their performance, "Solidarity: The Polish People Take a Stand for Freedom," about the social movement that was started at the Gdansk Shipyard in the early 1980s. This year's opening ceremonies kicked offwith a special presentation by award-winning.filmmaker, Ken Burns, who spoke about his own experience telling the stories ofhistory and offering encouragement to the thousands ofstudents who worked hard all year on their projects. Regarding the theme of the 2017 competition, Taking a Stand in History," he said, "We think the challenges we face are unique to our time, but as these students know, history provides us with a way to understand not just the past, but the very challenges we face. Throughout our country's history, people have taken a stand on a wide-range ofissues to facilitate change, frequently to ensure that our country was living up to its values. Studying these stands is helpful, and I'd add reassuring, during these tumultuous times." SEA HISTORY 160, AUTUMN 2017
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