June 16, 2011

 Washington, D.C. -- Nevada Senator Harry Reid met with 32 high school and middle school students from six Nevada schools when they visited Washington, D.C. to take part in the annual National History Day Contest. The students, from Eureka County High School; Sage Ridge School in Reno; Cadwallader Middle School in Las Vegas; Saville Middle School in Las Vegas; Northwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas; and Las Vegas Academy of International Studies Performing and Visual Arts met with Senator Reid on the steps of the United States Capitol.

“I was deeply impressed by these students’ knowledge of the history of our nation and its capitol,” said Reid. “They should be proud of what they’ve already accomplished and I encourage them to continue their studies in this important subject. These extraordinary students demonstrate exactly why education in Nevada is so important and must be among our top priorities.”

 
The National History Day Contest is an academic program for elementary and secondary school students. Students choose historical topics related to a theme and conduct extensive research. After analyzing and interpreting their sources and drawing conclusions about their topics’ significance in history, students present their work in original papers, websites, exhibits, performances and documentaries. These products are entered into contests in the spring at local, state and national levels where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators. The program culminates in the Kenneth E. Behring National Contest each June held at the University of Maryland at College Park. This year the Contest runs from June 12 to June 16.