STAR OF THE REPUBLIC MUSEUM TO HOST HISTORY FAIR

  

The participants at this year’s Brazos Valley Regional History Fair are expected to make a little history of their own.

Blinn College’s Star of the Republic Museum anticipates a record number of students to participate at this year’s event Friday, Feb. 12, at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site.

Lilly Long small
Lilly Long of North Zulch ISD placed first at the 2015 Brazos Valley Regional History Fair for her project titled, “Equal Pay for Equal Work: The Leadership and Legacy of Lilly Ledbetter.”

Students from Bryan Junior High, Navasota Junior High, Navasota High, Anderson-Shiro Secondary School, Brazos Christian School, Jane Long Middle School, Stephen F. Austin Middle School, Sam Rayburn Middle School and Arthur M. Davila Middle School will showcase their projects and presentations in this year’s day-long fair, which is themed “Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History.”

Students from grades 6-12 competed in their school history fairs to qualify for the regional event. In addition to the opportunity to advance to state, the regional history fair will award $1,350 in special cash prizes.

“We expect a record number of participants this year, largely due to the inclusion of all the middle schools in Bryan ISD,” said Anne McGaugh, Star of the Republic Museum curator of education and coordinator of the Brazos Valley Regional History Fair. “We are pleased to provide our local students the opportunity to compete in the national arena through National History Day.”

The winning students will advance to Texas History Day in Austin in May, sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association. State winners will then travel to National History Day at the University of Maryland.

Project categories include historical paper, exhibit, documentary, performance and interpretive website. Judging takes place throughout the morning, and each student has a scheduled interview time with the judges to answer questions and describe his or her project’s research and analysis.

Some presentations will take place inside the museum, while other projects will be on display at the park’s education, visitors and conference centers. This marks the 11th year the history fair has been held at Washington-on-the-Brazos.

Judges include Blinn College faculty and volunteers from local organizations and historical commissions. Blinn’s Webb Society, a student historical organization, will also volunteer. At 3 p.m., the awards ceremony will announce the winners.

The public is invited to view the documentaries and performances beginning at 9 a.m., and the exhibits, historical papers, and websites will be available for public viewing in the afternoon.

Star of the Republic Museum is located at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, at 23200 Park Road 12, Washington, Texas, off Highway 105. From Highway 105, follow either FM 912 or FM 1155 to Park Road 12.

Star of the Republic Museum was created by the Texas Legislature and is administered by Blinn College as a cultural and educational institution. Its purpose is to collect and preserve the material culture of the Texas Republic from 1836-1846 and to interpret the history, cultures, diversity and values of early Texans.

Daily museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.starmuseum.org or call 936-878-2461, ext. 237.  Story and photo courtesy of Blinn College.

 

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