This year, Central Bucks South’s first National History Day Club went to the Regional Bucks-Mont National History Day Competition. The club, led by Emmie Rehmet and Shannon Taylor, allows students to work individually or with groups to create historical presentations on a specified theme. Through conducting extensive primary and secondary research, NHD participants created either exhibits, websites, performances, papers, or documentaries. This year’s theme was Rights and Responsibilities, and CB South students uniquely interpreted the theme to create outstanding projects.

The competition at Ursinus College on March 22 was both exciting and nerve-wracking. Hundreds of students from Bucks and Montgomery Counties had spent numerous hours perfecting their projects and were prepared for the competition.The students presented their respective projects to groups of judges, hoping to place in the top three and advance to the state competition.

CB South’s NHD team brought ten members to the regional competition and returned with great results. In the senior individual documentary category, Anna Gamarnik, junior, placed second with her project Andrei Sakharou: From Scientists to Human Rights Activist. In the senior individual performance category, Emmie Rehmet, sophomore, placed second with her presentation American Melting Pot or Mosaic: The Right to a Specialized Bilingual Education. In the senior group performance category, sophomores Kathryn Wang and Lavanya Aluri placed first with their presentation A Childhood Lost: Child Labour Rights in the British Industrial Revolution. All contestants who are in the top three at regionals advance to the state competition on May 12 and 13.

For CB South’s NHD participants, the experience was a fun and memorable one. CB South’s NHD club members say they hope to continue to gain new members and become even more successful next year.