Polk County Public Schools
Two Polk County students have qualified to compete in the National History Fair to be held June 14 to 18 on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park.
Annika Mulaney, a sixth grader in 2008-2009 at Lakeland’s Lawton Chiles Middle Academy and Robert Lockard, a ninth grader in 2008-2009 at Bartow’s Summerlin Academy won second place awards at the State History Fair held earlier this month in Tallahassee. First and second place awards at the state event qualify students for the national event.
Annika had a second place finish in the junior division of the Web page design competition at the state event. She designed a Web page titled “Marie Curie: Her Vision for the Future.” Robert finished in second place in the senior division of the Web page competition at the state event. He designed a Web page titled “ Waging Peace – George C. Marshall.”
At stake at the nationals are monetary awards and scholarships. This is the second consecutive year that Robert will compete at the nationals. As an eighth grader last year at Lawton Chiles, Robert also competed at the nationals in the Web page competition.
Three other Polk County students placed third at the state event. State third place winners are listed below by school with their competition category and title of their project.
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy: Kavi Saxena and Walker May, junior division – Web page design, “The Hand That Shook the World – The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.”
McKeel Academy (Lakeland): Jini Curry, senior division – individual performance, “Victoria C. Woodhull: Making a Difference for Every Woman.”
In addition, six other Polk County students advanced to the finalist stage at the state event. Although they did not finish first, second or third, their finalist status placed them at least in the top ten in the state. State history fair finalists are listed below by school with their competition category and title of their project.
McKeel Academy: Sarah Flax, senior division – Web page design, “Corrie ten Boom…from Watchmaker to Heroine.” Sara Gossman, senior division – historical papers, “Autumn of Terror, 1888: The Media Impact of Jack the Ripper.”
Southwest Middle (Lakeland): Xiomarlyn Egipciaco, Tianna Justice, Kayla McClellan and Victoria Wheaton, junior division – group documentary, “Adolf’s Austria Aversion.”
Awards at the state event included savings bonds and medals.
