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ALBANY, NY – Twenty five middle and high school students from throughout the Capital District won top prizes in the Capital Region History Day Contest at the New York State Museum and will advance to the state competition in Cooperstown on April 30.

The contest, held March 27, attracted 175 students from schools in Albany, Clifton Park, Delmar, Guilderland, Schenectady, and Granville. They competed in the preliminary regional competition of the National History Day Contest. The national theme for this year’s competition is “Innovation in History: Impact and Change.”

After working on their entries for many months, competitors qualified for the regional contest by doing well at contests held at individual schools throughout the area. Students researched history topics of their choice related to the theme to create exhibits, documentaries, performances, research papers and website designs. Participants included students in grades 6-8 in the Junior Division and grades 9-12 in the Senior Division. The winners will go on to the state competition in Cooperstown April 30. The program culminates in the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest June 13-17 at the University of Maryland at College Park, Maryland.

There were two special prizes for those in the regional competition. This year’s Archives History Award was won by Michael Gao and Nate Costello of Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, under the supervision of teacher Amber Quinn. Their winning project, submitted in the Senior Websites Division, was “The Curtis Steam Turbine: A Case Study of American Innovation in Engineering.” They each won a $100 savings bond each.

The Daphne C. Cotter Women's History Award went to Rachel Nash of Shenendehowa High School, who also worked with teacher Amber Quinn. Her project in the Senior Individual Exhibits category was on the “Impact of the Special Olympics.” She won a certificate and a $20 Borders gift card.

National History Day is the nation’s leading program for history education in the schools. It makes history come alive for America's youth by engaging them in the discovery of the historic, cultural

and social experiences of the past. Each year, more than half a million students, encouraged by thousands

of teachers and parents nationwide, participate in the contest. Further information on the state History Day contest is available at http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/Contest.htm.

The New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education’s Office of Cultural Education. Started in 1836, the museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the United States. The state museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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EDITORS NOTE: The attached list identifies the winners in the regional competition who will go on to the state competition.