2 Hillsborough Students Reach National History Day Finals
Yesterday, two sixth-grade students at Auten Road Intermediate School in Hillsborough, NJ, joined other middle and high school students from across the country to compete inthe finals of the National History Day Contest at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD.
ARIS students, Nitya Balasubramanian and Ritija Bhargava, earned a place at the national finals with their exhibit titled, “Spanish Invasion of the Americas: Tragedy and Triumph of a Continent.” The two students, along with their National History Day Club Advisors, Ms. Pat Sellar and Ms. Nancy Patrick, attended the event where students from around the country showcased their documentaries, websites, performances, and exhibits based on this year’s theme, “Triumph and Tragedy.”
National History Day is a year-long education program, designed for students in grades 6-12. Throughout the school year, students conduct research of primary and secondary resources in order to prepare presentations based on the annual theme. The program culminates in a series of contests held at the regional, state, and finally the national level.
Nitya and Ritija, working as a team, were named the top entry in the category of exhibits at the New Jersey state competition that was held on May 4 at William Paterson University. This top place finish earned the girls entry to the national level of competition. Their winning exhibit looks at the topic of the Spanish invasion of the Americas. Their research focused on the tragic loss of the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations by the Spanish conquistadors and how the annihilation of these civilizations changed the course of history.
“We are so delighted that Nitya and Ritija are representing Auten Road Intermediate School and Hillsborough Township Public Schools at the National event this year,” stated Ms. Pat Sellar. “They have both worked hard this year delving into their topic and certainly deserve this honor,” added Ms. Nancy Patrick.