This morning — while you and I sipped coffee at home — dozens of Staples High School sophomores were already at the Westport Library.
The social studies students were setting up for Westport’s 1st “Celebrate History Day.” It’s step one on the way to a national competition. They’re in it to win it.
Working in groups of 2 or 3, they spent weeks studying the theme: “Take a Stand.” Some students created traditional poster board exhibits. Others developed websites, made documentary films or put on performances.
Just as today’s science students have evolved from making bubbling volcanoes to creating robots, their history classes have taught them to think critically about a number of issues in America’s past.
One exhibit examined Muhammad Ali’s antiwar resistance.
Some subjects are well known. Others I’ve never heard of. Here are a few topics:
- Jane Jacobs
- The Stonewall riots
- Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution
- The Black Panther Party in Connecticut
- Carrie Nation
- Southbury, CT’s Nazi opposition
- Lynsey Addario’s photography
- Arthur Ashe’s AIDS activism
- Charles Deslondes (leader of a slave uprising)
- Anne Hutchinson
- Candie Leitner and the growth of MADD
- Sojourner Truth
- Edward R. Murrow
- Martin Luther
- The Grimké sisters (abolitionists and suffragettes)
- Christine Jorgensen
- Eugene Debs
- The history of censorship
- Cesar Chavez
- Thomas Paine
- George Orwell
- Marian Anderson
- Roger Sherman
- The Tuskegee Airmen
- The fight to save Cockenoe Island
- Sitting Bull
- Tienanmen Square
- Eleanor Roosevelt and the role of the First Lady
- Gladys Iola Tantaquidgeon (Mohegan medicine woman)
- The first Earth Day
The students learned a ton.
I learned more.
Including the importance of taking a stand.
BEAUTIFUL!
The true story behind the recent film “Hidden Figures” is a real eye opener, a piece of American history I’d never come across.
So many quiet, untold stories to discover.
For those Elementary or Junior High teachers out there, the “Night of the Notables Program” is well worth exploring.
Very interesting Dan. But I admit that I am curious as to how the students who worked on Candy Lightner (note the correct spelling of her name) and the founding of MADD decided to address her later career. For her later professional choices were quite controversial and are still debated down to this day. Namely: years after she left MADD she became a paid lobbyist for the liquor industry. Yes, that is right, the founder of MADD who lost her own daughter to a drunk driver ended up becoming a shill for the liqour industry. Her career is often cited as a textbook example of how Industry’s can and do successfully co-op or mute grassroots advocacy efforts that are adversarial and against them. I csn’t help but think that a deeper examination of that whole ethical grey area in the unending push/pull dynamic and pressure between activists and Industry would make for a fascinating analysis as the students progress up to the Nationals. Congrats to all of the students and teachers who participated today!
Is this open to the public? I’d love to see the exhibit!