Brianna Bobo 

Salem High School history classes are gearing up for National History Day next month. Every year, Josh Lewis’ classes participate. The theme for this year is “Turning Points in History.” Some of the topics that students are working on include The Lightbulb, Dropping Atomic Bombs in Japan, The Battle of Midway, Jackie Robinson and The Alamo.

 “They are going to be wrapping up their NHD projects in the second half of February,” said Lewis. “The project is worth 120 points.” Community members Jeanne Page, Don Page and Rodney Brough are among some of the people who will be judging the contest this year.

 NHD consists of a research project where students put together their choice of display exhibits, websites and other project types. This year most of the students are doing exhibits and websites. 

Lewis said, it’s important because this project requires a lot of different facts to come together. 

“You are working in a group that requires you to come together to complete the project,” Lewis said. “You have to be interviewed by people you don’t know about your project, so it involves some public speaking. It requires you to have more than surface-level knowledge of your topic. It also requires a deeper level of research than most projects so you have to know how to identify valid sources.”

Sophomore Finn Kritzer gave a little intel about his group project. The most important idea his group is trying to convey is that “there are so many hurricanes in the world, but hurricane Dennis isn’t really talked about even though it almost completely wiped out Florida.”

He said they chose this specific topic because it’s an important hurricane and they feel that it needs to be brought to light and “hurricanes are pretty cool.”

 This topic is important in history because of its significant damage to Florida. Kritzer said he chose to work with a group because “it will get done faster and efficiently written faster and it will be talked about.”

  He thinks everyone helps out equally. In the group everyone does specific things but also what they want it’s a mix of both. Kritzer thinks learning history is important but isn’t at the same time. He said that while learning about history is fascinating, he doesn’t think that history contributes to getting a job after highschool. 

Lewis said,  “It’s good to do a research project and to get practice in things you need. Students speak and present to people they don’t know.”