Students from Aviation Maintenance Technology and AIT programs recently participated in a regional history contest.
Students from Questar III’s Rensselaer Educational Center in Troy excelled at the Capital Region New York State History Day contest held at the New York State Museum on March 24.
Competing against 100 students from across the Capital Region, the following students earned prizes as part of the yearlong National History Day program (NHD):
First Place
Title: The Revolution of Aircraft Materials
Students: Sky Sardi (East Greenbush), Allan McNeil (Averill Park) & Alex Listing (Averill Park)
Second Place
Title: Video Game Engine Development: Revolutionizes Play
Students: Jacob Parslow (Schodack) & Justin Ryan (Berlin)
Third Place
Title: Engine Revolutions: Let Us Fly
Students: Nick Wilt (Schodack), Nate Quinn (Schodack) & Chris Brundige (Brunswick)
This year’s contest challenged students to select an historical topic related to the theme of revolution, reaction, reform in history.
Over the past several months, Questar III students conducted primary source research by using libraries, archives, museums, and oral history interviews. They had the option to present their findings in the form of a performance, documentary, website, paper or exhibit.
The trio of Sardi, McNeil and Listing chose to create an exhibit chronicling the revolution of aircraft materials, from the Wright brothers to today.
The second place team of Parslow and Ryan created a website to showcase the evolution of video games into a multi-billion dollar industry.
The third place team of Wilt, Quinn and Brundige developed an exhibit that depicts the revolution of engines from the origin of aircraft to the present day.
The first and second place winners competed in the state contest in Cooperstown on April 23.
Each year more than half a million students participate in the NHD competition. NHD encourages students to explore local, state, national, and world history. These projects can be entered into a series of competitions, from the local to the national level, where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators.
