Texas History Day
Student Oral History Award
TOHA recognized outstanding use of oral history in individual documentaries entered in the state's 2012 history fair contest, held May 4-5, in Austin. Texas History Day is sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association, which allows associations like TOHA to present special awards to projects that reflect the particular interests of the organization. The annual history day theme for 2012 was Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History.
We appreciate the gifts of time and talent given by our 2012 Texas History Day special award judges, Susan Burneson and Hubert Miller. To win the TOHA award, students must interview at least three people and demonstrate use of the interview materials in their documentaries. The award consists of a certificate. First and second-place winners also receive a TOHA medal.
In the junior category (grades 6-8), TOHA awarded first place to Divya Singh, a student at Gentry Junior High School in Baytown, for the documentary, "Rachel Carson." Second place was earned by Tanner Haney of Lake Air Intermediate School in Waco, for "Curt Flood: Free Agency in Baseball"; third place, by Jeffrey Tullis, from Daggett Montessori School in Fort Worth, for "Stevie Ray Vaughan: Revolution in the Blues"; and honorable mention, by Kynsee Gesch, of Navasota Junior High School, in Navasota, for "Reform in Transportation in the Nineteenth Century."
On the senior level (grades 9-12), TOHA awarded first place award to Monica Li, from the Communications Arts High School in San Antonio, for her documentary titled, "Blank Slates: The Chinese Cultural Revolution and Chinese Youth."
Year after year, the fact that the use of oral history research contributes to the historical quality of documentaries is proven by the number of students who earn the TOHA special award and also advance to the national contest by winning first or second place in the regular judging. Individual and group entries that place first or second in their category (paper, documentary, website, or performance) and division (junior or senior) advance to National History Day, held in Maryland in June. This year, two TOHA special award winners--Tanner Haney and Monica Li--also placed in the regular judging and will carry their documentaries to the National History Day contest.
Congratulations to these well-deserving students, their teachers, schools, and parents!
