Recently, TCMS MERIT students traveled to the Thomas County Board of Education Auditorium to meet their first VISIONS speaker of the 2018-2019 school year, Dr. Kevin Shirley. Dr. Shirley is a professor of History at LaGrange College and Co-Coordinator of National History Day in Georgia. His research has been published internationally.

Eight years ago, Dr. Shirley launched the National History Day Mentoring Program in Georgia and across the Southeastern United States. Dr. Shirley spoke to students about the role of historians in the education world as well as the importance of participation and competing in the National History Day Competition. He also talked extensively with students about the process of research and this year's theme, "Tragedy and Triumph", as they kicked off their National History Day projects this year. "I am confident that we will see state winners from this group this year. Students are excited and ready to become historians," stated MERIT coordinator, Mrs. Dana Studdard.

Pictured below in the first image from left to right is sixth-graders Nathan Jarrett, Dane Taylor, and Marlee Binion. In the second image is fifth-grade students Lola Parker, Lawson Whitfield, and Anna Kate Smith. Dr. Shirley explained that students must read like a historian and search for evidence like Sherlock Holmes, act as a chef and use the key ingredients to create something new, and then act as a journalist to publish the finished piece for others to read and learn new information.