Ishida and Tsang displayed their exhibit, “The Scottsboro Boys: Bold Stands Reinforce Civil Demands," for the event. It covers the journey of nine wrongly accused black teenagers during the 1930s, revealing the faults of the U.S. court system.
While students at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a specialized high school, Tibbels and Samuel Hudnet created a documentary film called “Biocides: Rachel Carson's Spring to Action.” It shows how Rachel Carson took a stand against the use of pesticides with her book Silent Spring, beginning what has become the modern environmental movement. Tibbels and Hudnet won a National History Day Silver Medal for their work.
Among the dignitaries attending the ceremony were Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein and Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Ben Cardin (D-MD).
National History Day (NHD), a nonprofit education organization, organizes year-long programs dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of history. It helps teachers meet educational standards, disseminates high-quality curriculum materials, and sponsors challenging contests.
Through NHD, students in grades six through twelve conduct in-depth historical research that culminates in a demonstration of knowledge and critical skills through the presentation of documentaries, performances, exhibits and papers to a panel of judges at district, state and national levels. Over 1.5 million people—students and teachers and parents—participate in its instructional and research projects annually.
The History Day program in Maryland is sponsored by the Maryland Humanities Council, a statewide, nonprofit educational organization that is affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Maryland History Day involves over 11,000 students annually, representing more than 135 schools in 12 counties and Baltimore City.