Education Department Program Supports Buffalo Students Through National Competition

D’Youville Education Department Program Supports Buffalo Public School Students Through National Competition

D’Youville History Hunters Program: A Powerful K-16 Collaboration

Buffalo, New York – May 04, 2017 – Fifteen Buffalo Public School students and one Williamsville District student won top awards at the New York State National History Day (NHD) competition held in Cooperstown, NY on Monday, April 24.

The D’Youville College History Hunters Program, partially funded by the Library of Congress, provided mentorship to the award-winning students, as well as an additional 400+ Buffalo Public School students, with the help of RRE-service education student mentors and D’Youville Education Department faculty. The History Hunters Program is designed to support history teachers in the integration of primary source documents and inquiry-based learning.

“The History Hunters Program has had a significant impact on both teachers and students, but 7th graders winning first, second, and third place medals at NYS History Day is a confirmation of that work and testament to the potential of thoughtful school-college collaborations,” said Dr. Julie Carter, Associate Professor of Education and History Hunters Program Director at D’Youville College.

“The faculty and students in D’Youville College’s Education Department were thrilled to assist all of the BPS students who participated in the city, regional and state History Day competitions.

“Project-based learning opportunities like this provide students with skills and knowledge they will use for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Hilary Lochte, chair of the Education Department.

Two BPS student teams and two individual BPS students from the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts and City Honors School will be representing New York State at National History Day competition June 11 through 15 , taking place at The University of Maryland in College Park, MD. This will be the first time that Buffalo students have competed at the national level of NHD.

Contact

Dr. Julie Carter

Phone: 716-829-8108

Email: carterj@dyc.edu

Background

D’Youville College History Hunters Program, under the direction of Dr. Julie Carter (Education department) has been working to make the study of history more fun and interesting, while improving academic opportunities for BPS students.

The D’Youville College History Hunters Program, funded in part by a Teaching Primary Sources Easter Region Grant from the Library of Congress (administered by Waynesburg University), is designed to provide professional development for social studies teachers, coupled with a K-16 partnership which includes classroom modeling, the use of pre-service teachers as history mentors, after-school coaching, and academic support as middle school students compete at various levels of National History Day.

National History Day engages more than a half million students around the world in original historical research projects and competitions. This year History Hunters Program engaged over 450 students from three BPS schools and one suburban school district, and 30 teachers and administrators from 11 BPS schools, 3 suburban schools, one Buffalo charter school and one Buffalo Catholic school.

This year, projects included performances, websites, documentaries, papers, and exhibit boards and the winning WNY projects at NYS History Day included those below. These projects will be moving on the national level of the National History Day competition in June.

This is the first time Buffalo will send representatives to compete at the national level of National History Day, and all the WNY students who are competing at Nationals were a part of the D’Youville College History Hunters Program.

Projects

Subject: The White Rose Society – underground Anti-Nazi resistance movement

Place: 1st place in Junior Exhibits

Title: The White Rose Society

School: City Honors

Teacher: Richard Ziolo

Student(s): Roman Rogalski



Subject: Dian Fosse’s gorilla conservation work

Place: 1st Place in Junior Papers

Title: Dian Fossey: Taking a Stand for the Mountain Gorillas

School: Mill Middle School

Teacher: Randall Gammiero

Student(s): Katia de Jong



Subject: Malala Yousafzai

Place: 2nd Place Junior Performance

Title: One Child, One Teacher, One Book, One Pen, Can Change the World

School: Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts

Teacher: Kelly Beuth and Tayler Cole

Student(s): Emily Smith, Alicia Woods, Dreana Henry, Daesha Montgomery, Catherine Krug-O’Connor



Subject: Malala Yousafzai

Place: 2nd Place Junior Exhibit

Title: Malala Yousafzai: Warrior of Words

School: City Honors School

Teacher: Richard Ziolo

Student(s): Holden Endres, Jack Colleran, Sebastian Cole, Tony Pratts

Subject: Claudette Colvin (sat in the front of a bus before Rosa Parks)

Place: 3rd Place Junior Documentary

Title: Claudette Colvin: The Girl Who Started A Revolution

School: City Honors School

Teacher: Richard Ziolo

Student(s): Gabriella Fanti, Natalie Lane, Greta Lee, Sophia Steckler, Connor Wyckoff