Heart of Texas Regional History Fair Competition Set for Feb. 14 at Baylor University

February 3, 2020

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-710-6275
HOTRHF Contact: Rachel DeShong, Coordinator, 254-710-3783
Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

WACO, Texas (Feb. 3, 2020) – More than 320 students have entered projects in the 2020 Heart of Texas Regional History Fair, which will be held Friday, Feb. 14, at the Bill Daniel Student Center, 1311 S. Fifth St., on the campus of Baylor University. Students from schools in Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Lampasas, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Navarro and Robertson counties have registered 172 projects in various categories.

All projects entered in the Heart of Texas Regional History Fair explore aspects of the 2020 National History Day theme – “Breaking Barriers in History” – and already placed as winners in their local school fairs. On Feb. 14, the public is invited to view the projects from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second and third floors of the Bill Daniel Student Center. An awards ceremony announcing the winning entries, as well as special awards for students and teachers, is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The first- and second-place winners from each category at the regional fair will advance to the Texas History Day competition April 25 at The University of Texas at Austin and the Bullock Texas State History Museum. Winners in Austin then compete in National History Day June 14-18 at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Participation in the Heart of Texas Regional History Fair develops academic, artistic and social skills that provide lasting benefit to students in all areas of study. Specifically, students learn to:

Conduct in-depth research.
Use primary and secondary sources.
Read a variety of texts.
Analyze and synthesize information.
Write and present historical content.

Schools participating this year include: Atlas Academy, Belton High School, Belton New Tech at Waskow, Brown Homeschool, Cesar Chavez Middle School, Eagle Christian Academy, G.W. Carver Middle School, Gilmer Home School, Greer Home School, Higgins Home School, Indian Spring Middle School, La Vega High School, La Vega Intermediate School H.P. Miles Campus, Lake Air Montessori School, Lorena High School, North Belton Middle School, Northstar School, Pecan Bluff Home School, Plano East Senior High School, Rapoport Academy Quinn Middle School Annex, Robinson Junior High School, South Belton Middle School, St. Louis Catholic School, Tennyson Middle School and Waco High School.

NOTE TO MEDIA: We appreciate any coverage of this event and welcome reporters to showcase this year’s Heart of Texas Regional History Fair. The students involved represent some outstanding young people in the Central Texas area who have produced high-quality projects. For more information, contact Rachel DeShong, coordinator of the Heart of Texas Regional History Fair, at 254-710-3783 or hotfair@baylor.edu.

ABOUT THE HEART OF TEXAS REGIONAL HISTORY FAIR

The Heart of Texas Regional History Fair (HOTRHF) is a regional affiliate for the Texas History Day and National History Day annual competition and operates under the guidelines of the National History Day. HOTRHF covers a 14-county region in Central Texas. Founded in 1986 under the sponsorship of the Strecker Museum at Baylor University, the HOTRHF is currently sponsored by The Texas Collection at Baylor and is held each February at the Bill Daniel Student Center on the Baylor campus. Participation in the Heart of Texas Regional History Fair develops academic, artistic and social skills that provide lasting benefit to students in all areas of study. For more information or to get involved in HOTRHF, visit www.baylor.edu/historyfair.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 18,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.