On Friday, February 27 Thomas County Middle School hosted the regional competition for National History Day.  Forty students from TCMS qualified for the state competition based on the results of the regional competition. 

The state competition will take place at Mercer University in April.   This is the third year Thomas County Schools has participated in National History Day, and students have accomplished a variety of achievements.  Students from Thomas County Schools have placed each year at the state competition and have gone on to the national competition at the University of Maryland.  While at nationals, Thomas County students have had a group website place ninth overall and an exhibit displayed at The National Museum of American History.

National History Day incorporates research skills, historical analysis, and literacy standards into one project.  Students are given a variety options on the final project including project type and topic choice.  Each year, the projects must center on a given theme.  This year’s theme is “Leadership and Legacy”.  Not only do students learn how to write an annotated bibliography, they are also able to demonstrate the significance of their topic in history and draw conclusions.  Mrs. Mandy West, National History Day coordinator for TCMS says, “National History Day allows students to make personalized choices while enriching their historical knowledge and ability to interpret a variety of sources.“

Thomas County Middle School National History Day State Qualifiers and topics:

Group Websites –

1st Place – Clay Goff, Emma Goff, Zach Goff - William Wilberforce

2nd Place – Abby Allensworth, Morgan Ward - Philip Johnston

Individual Websites –

1st Place – Mary Beth Wise – Ray Charles

2nd Place – Kaleb Ward – Nikola Tesla

3rd Place – Dillon Reneau – Pele

HM – Emily Owens – Ray Charles

Group Performance –

1st Place – Jackson O’Neal, Eli Phelps, Jackson Wilson – Babe Ruth

2nd Place – Megan Curry, Meghan Lynch, Breanna Woods - Elvis

Individual Performance –

HM – Lois Henderson – Michael Jackson

Documentary –

HM – Joshua Caleb Stephens - The Leadership of Tim Berners-Lee in the Creation of his Legacy: The World Wide Web

Group Exhibit –

1st Place – Kaylee Ingram, MaKenna Maroney – Susan B. Anthony

2nd Place – Bradley Dechman, Kaleb Smith – Patrick Henry

3rd Place – Kayla Shoup, Kelsie Shoup - Juliette Gordon Lowe

HM – Olivia Faucheux, Morgan Kirkendoll – Dr. Seuss

HM – Sarah Carnes, Sydnie Shelton, Emma Parker – Walt Disney

HM – Kealie Bennett, Leila Hurst, Caroline Pope – Ted Turner

Individual Exhibit –

1st – Brooklyn Reese – Georgia’s First Fly Girl: Hazel Raines

2nd – Ethan Mims - FDR

3rd – Reagan Gurule – The Wright Brothers

HM – Amber Allen – The New South: Henry Grady

HM – Kamryn Corbin – Archbold

HM – Elizabeth Nix - Tomochichi

Historical Paper –

1st – Aubrey Glenn - Juliette Gordon Lowe

2nd – Samantha Castillo - Eli Whitley

3rd – Danielle Sauls – Beatles

6^th grade winners: Front row (left to right): Olivia Faucheux, Sarah Carnes, Sydnie Shelton, Morgan Kirkendoll, Abby Allensworth, Kaylee Ingram, MaKenna Maroney, Morgan Ward, Lois Henderson

Back row (left to right): Jackson Wilson, Jackson O’Neal, Kaleb Smith, Bradley Dechman, Eli Phelps, Dillon Reneau, Danielle Sauls (not pictured: Emma Parker)

7^th grade winners: Front row (left to right): Kamryn Corbin, Breanna Woods, Megan Curry, Meghan Lynch

Back row (left to right): Clay Goff, Zach Goff, Kaleb Ward, Joshua Caleb Stephens (not pictured: Emma Goff)

8^th grade winners: Front row (left to right): Amber Allen, Kelsie Shoup, Kayla Shoup, Kealie Bennett, Caroline Pope, Leila Hurst

Back row (left to right): Elizabeth Nix, Brooklyn Reese, Reagan Gurule, Samantha Castillo, Ethan Mims, Mary Beth Wise, Emily Owens (not pictured: Aubrey Glenn)