GATLINBURG, Tenn. — In honor of its 75th Anniversary in 2009, Great Smoky Mountains National Park collaborated with the Western North Carolina National History Day competition, and invited area middle and high school students to submit entries focused on an individual who was important in the park’s creation or history.
A different theme is chosen each year for the competition entries–this year’s theme being “The Individual in History, Actions and Legacies.” To encourage local students’ awareness of and appreciation for the many individuals whose actions were a part of the legacy of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, awards were offered for the best park-related entries. Entries were judged following National History Day criteria, and on the students’ ability to relate the contributions of the individual to the park.
The winning park-related entries were: First Place – Margaret Swearingen (Reynolds High School) for her research paper on George Masa; Second Place – Amorie Gunter (Swain County Middle School), for her documentary on Sequoyah; Third Place – Mary Alice Cummings, Amberle Dalton, and Whitney Brinkley (Reynolds High School), for their exhibit on Chief Junaluska.
Winning entries will be posted on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary website, www.greatsmokies75th.org/education. The Western North Carolina National History Day competition was held on April 4th, with many students advancing to the state competition.
National History Day originated in 1974, with a mission to challenge students to conduct extensive primary and secondary research, interpret information, and draw conclusions about the meaning of the past, and to make the learning of history active rather than passive.
About Craig Taylor Brown