Albany, NY -- To encourage students to use historical records, the New York State Archives, a program of the State Education Department, is sponsoring the 18th annual Student Research Awards. The 2008 contest is open to all New York students in grades 4-12 who use historical records in their research projects.
Three awards are presented each year: grades 4-5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12. The awards consist of a framed certificate, a check for $100 from an endowment established by Regent Emerita Laura Chodos and her husband Robert Chodos, an invitation to have lunch with the Regents in Albany, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the State Archives.
Eligible projects are computer-based entries, such as websites or PowerPoint presentations; exhibits; documentaries; performances; research for a historical marker, property or district; and traditional research papers.
Student Research Award winners for 2007 were: Leila Balady, Michael Collins, Alix Della Penna, Kate DeMarco, Drusilla Falco, Daniel Fortino, Patrick Gerspach, Matthew Greene, Devon Ialenti, Brian Nicholas, Brian Shulman, Rosie Tomao, Michaela Fitzpatrick, Timothy Foxen, Kerri Heuser, Nicole Horn, Timothy Josephs, Emily King, Fiona MacLeod, Daniel Pietromonaco, and Morgayne Rixas, fourth and fifth grade students at the Stewart School (Nassau County), for their PowerPoint presentation The Birth of Stewart School.
Other winners included Emma Gugerty, a sixth grade student at the Locust Valley Middle School (Nassau County) for her PowerPoint presentation, The Bayville Bridge; and Alexandra Rheinhardt, a ninth grade student from Cooperstown Central High School (Otsego County), for the documentary, The AAGPBL: a Microcosm of Women during World War II .
Julie Daniels, coordinator of the awards program, explained that in order for an entry to be competitive, a substantial portion of the research should be based on historical records from archives, museums, historical societies, libraries, local governments, or other organizations. She offered some examples of historical records: original letters, diaries, and photographs; meeting minutes; police and court records; ledgers, census records; and wills.
Although the deadline for entry is July 1, Ms. Daniels explained that the
most successful projects usually take students months to develop. For information
about this year's program, click on "Education" at www.archives.nysed.gov,
call (518) 474-6926 or email archedu@mail.nysed.gov.