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By Patrick Tepoorten
 What does it take to get to state with a History Day project? A lot, according to History Day project advisor Pam Newbauer.
North Branch Middle School students were honored by the school board for making it to the state History Day competition. Pictured are (l to r): Alexandra Murphy, Dylan Wendt, Travis Anderson, and Jessica Brunet. Not pictured are Shannon O’Brien, Carl Neumann, Blake Degerstrom and advisor Pam Newbauer.
North Branch sent eight middle school students and four high school students to the state History Day project competition at the U of M campus in Minneapolis recently. Very few projects make it to that level, and North Branch students first had to survive a regional competition in Duluth, where projects were judged and the cream of the crop invited to state.
At state, students are first put through an interview process, where they must show they have an understanding of the subject matter they chose for their project.
In the final round, students’ projects are judged on merit.
There were many honorable mentions and creativity awards handed out to North Branch students as a result.
According to Newbauer, the process of the History Day competition teaches students many valuable lessons.
“The kids learn to do major research projects,” she said. “They are required to contact an expert in the field. It is a long process and they learn organizational skills.”
Newbauer was very impressed with what she said were many “highly competitive” projects from North Branch students at state this year. “I’ve never been prouder of a group of kids,” she said. “I was proud to be there.”
High school students who participated at state included Emily Rollins, Emily Ziegler, Megan Nelson, and Katie Munns. Middle school students included Alexandra Murphy, Dylan Wendt, Travis Anderson, Jessica Brunet, Shannon O’Brien, Carl Neumann, and Blake Degerstrom.
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