Charles Wright Academy’s National History Day scholars competed in the regional History Day competition on Thursday, March 26, and ten students from the school advanced to the state competition in May.

National History Day encourages students to become historians by developing research, analysis, presentation and social skills. Working individually or in groups, Charles Wright students selected topics relating to this year’s History Day theme – the individual in history.  They conducted extensive historical research using primary sources, articles, and books, then distilled their research and analysis into a multimedia documentary, museum exhibit, website, or research paper.

Advancing to state are:

• Sarah Sadlier, a freshman from Gig Harbor with her exhibit on General George Marshall.  Sadlier won first place at regionals with her entry.
• Koby Deitz, a freshman from Steilacoom, and Alex Nielsen, a freshman from University Place, with their exhibit on Abe Sapertein and the Harlem Globetrotters.  Deitz and Nielsen won fourth place at regionals with their exhibit.
• Abby Garrett, a freshman from University Place, with her documentary on architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  Garrett won first place at regionals with her ten-minute documentary film.
• Emily Harper and Nicole Fannin, both sophomores from University Place, with their documentary on Carl Wilkins and the Rwandan genocide.  Harper and Fannin won first place with their ten-minute documentary film at regionals.
• Katie Welch, a freshman from Steilacoom, with her website on Oskar Schindler and the Holocaust.  Welch won first place at regionals.
• Freshmen Tim Chang from Gig Harbor, Nathan Hwang from Tacoma, and Peter Schilling from Tacoma with their website on James E. Webb and NASA.  Chang, Hwang and Schilling won second place at regionals.

Also representing Charles Wright at the regional contest were:

• Freshman Skye Lewis of Fox Island with a paper on ballerina Anna Pavlova;
• Freshman Allie Anderson of Gig Harbor with an individual exhibit on fashion icon CoCo Chanel; and
• Freshman Tyler Dienst of Federal Way with an individual documentary on filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.