“You can't fight 2020!”: NHD Goes Virtual

Though it’s been seventeen years, NHD is still relatively new. Masterman’s NHD chapter has been ever-changing to better fit the needs of students especially given the unforeseen circumstances that 2020 had in store. Elana explained, “It used to be with NHD that everybody did the paper and then everybody did the project. Then, [NHD Philly] basically said ‘Masterman REIGNS!’ We have so many submissions it kind of really eliminated Central and SLA and constitution [etc.] from having these excellent projects too that they limited us to a certain amount of projects we were allowed to submit.” She continued, “So when that happened, Ms. Taylor and I decided that we were going to make it ‘whoever wanted to [do the project does it]’and we realized that there was so much work involved that… it really wasn't fair to… get you out of the final and not give you a grade, so Ms. Taylor offered to teach it as an enrichment.”

From year to year, NHD topics change. While last year’s topic focused on “Breaking Barriers,” this year’s topic is all about “Communication.” Elana explained briefly, “[it focuses on] how different people, laws, documents— pretty much anything you can think of from American History— have communicated some kind of message to the people or to the government, [etc.]” NHD, as a “national program,” accepts all projects ranging from various aspects of American History. However, “we take it a step further and instead of it being American History… we narrow that down and say that it has to be an African American History topic,” Elana continued.

Merely 15 years ago, in 2005, African American History was embedded as a mandatory course in the school district’s curriculum. One Friday afternoon back in 1967, Philadelphian students peacefully protested for its integration into Philly schools but it quickly took a turn for the worst when a group of policemen wreaked havoc among the peaceful crowd. That year, several teachers and experts came together to write AFAM textbooks and certain schools were given grants to teach the course. “The truth is, US History makes no sense without African American History,” Elana wrote.

Taylor has been teaching AFAM for thirteen years and “[Elana]’s only been teaching AFAM [for] seven or eight years.” Elana noted, “[Taylor’s] been teaching it longer so she's actually seen topics be repeated where for my past seven or eight years, they picked brand new topics… she had the advantage sometimes of there being an overlap which is nice.” AFAM as a course Elana explained, “NHD is so important because the research highlights in depth the subject matter in this course.”

From choosing a single topic from a plethora of equally significant historical events, to building a draft from scratch, to then making rounds of edits to perfect the final paper, Elana stated, “it's an awful lot of work.” However, Taylor explained,“there is no shortcut.”

“When I go to the dentist,” Taylor started, “and they ask me, ‘what do you do for a living?’ and I say ‘I teach history,’ they say, ‘Oh my god, I hated history, I could never remember the date for ‘X’ or I hated filling out the bubbles and I’m like— okay… but professional historians never fill in bubbles they don't do stuff like that.”

As much work as it is, NHD isn’t about “filling in the bubbles.” Taylor explained, “I think that the great thing about National History Day is that it asks students to do the work of professional historians!” Professional historians do a lot more than studying the compact details of history. In fact, they take “a question or a topic that they’re interested in and [would] research [that topic] and then become an expert in it. And then, writing about it and defending their conclusions within and out[side] of the historical community.”

NHD gives students the liberty to choose research topics and allows students to make choices that they may never make in other classes. “I don't know how to say it, Annetta,” Taylor said, struggling to find the right words to match her thoughts. “It’s not just to check the right answer,” she started slowly, “there isn't necessarily a right answer and I think that that makes life interesting— there are so many avenues and so many ways to go— I hope that NHD gives students enough choices and opportunities to make their own arguments and go in the direction that they wanna go.” Xiaoxin Li (11-2) wrote, “Pick a topic that actually interested you; the research will be more enjoyable!” However, “my group struggled so hard with finding sources,” Cherilynn Chow (11-1) explained, “choose a topic that you can find info about easily, don’t just base it on interest.”

In other ways, “It’s super important!” Elana exclaimed ecstatically, “you need to know how to write a research paper for college and you need to be walked through the process.” When NHD Philly limited Masterman’s overbearing number of project submissions, the AFAM teachers had to adapt quickly. They “didn’t want to eliminate the paper part of it because, again, it’s invaluable. You learn how to write a research paper from outline all the way to final draft. And you get a chance to meet with your teacher [to] get feedback and find out what you're doing wrong so you can correct it."

“It’s an awful lot of work and grading it is exhausting… but [in the end] the pros outweigh the cons,” Elana explained understandingly. After all the hard work has been completed, all that’s left is a leisurely ride to satisfying results!

In previous years, archive and local library visits were mandatory. Though going to archives and libraries in person isn’t impossible, amid COVID-19 it certainly isn’t suggested. Both teachers made equally important points about the lack of in-person archive/ library visits yet each beautifully opposed the other’s. All archives have digitized material and both teachers have “given out the emails to the archives.” In addition to the databases and archives, Ms. Bernadette Cooke-Kearney, Masterman’s school librarian, “has really helped us to better utilize the data bases at the free library.” Taylor added, “Ms. Kearney was able to get Masterman a subscription to jstor… so now students have access to all these scholarly articles!”

I had asked both teachers if the lack of in-person research would feel like a missed opportunity on the students’ end. Elana solemnly said yes. In previous years, both teachers would take students to local archives as an unofficial field trip after school. “There is a very different feel between doing it online versus in person library skill,” Elana explained. “So yes, that part I don't like as much… I loved taking kids to Bloxon and seeing the pile of books… and watching you guys sit there and take pictures from a real place with books.”

With all of the online resources, “It's running the same [but] it's different for sure!” said Taylor. “But it’s not— there is still a lot of information out there and available so I think it’ll be okay.”

Everyone misses something about the days prior to the limited interactions of today. At the beginning of quarantine, Taylor wrote something along the lines of “a silver lining surrounds all obstacles.” It remains true as we continue virtual learning. “A lot of the archives have digitized material… so they’re still able to get some stuff. Meanwhile they've also ramped up their utilisation of the databases at the free library and checking out ebook[s] and using the Library of Congress website to really good effect!” Later, she remembers “also feeling that something in the past that took a long time or was hard to set up with people’s schedules was actually going to the archives. Well that’s DONE! You can visit whenever it works for you [because] you don't have to go anywhere.”

With every conflict comes compromise “You can't fight 2020!” Ms. Taylor exclaimed. “It is what it is, you gotta take what you’ve been given and you gotta make the best of it you can.” She explained, “I don't really think about that because it doesn't help us move forward. We can use what materials those same archives have digitized and we can use these other online resources even better and that's the way we have to think about it this year.”

With virtual anything, “the thing that makes it hard is this excessive screen time,” Taylor tried to explain. “I bet Annetta, that a lot of the research you did was on a screen— what’s changed is that now our classes are on a screen… In this day and [age] most of our research is done on a screen— even if it’s technically in a book, we get the ebook.” Coincidentally, for Elana it’s the communication— the “lack of in-person [meetings]— the one on one conversations you have during class time the little ‘aha’ moments that one person shares and the whole class hears that's missing.”

She’s “been meeting with kids from 2:30 to like 4:00 or 4:30 pretty much daily and everybody gets a 15 minute slot.” “I only have one third period lunch— that's today. And then the 10th graders have 5th period and I teach 5th period every day so I can’t meet them then.”

Although Elana’s schedule is fully booked because of NHD season, “I am online every day by 7:45,” she explained, “I have a seventh grade advisory and I don't know why… but they are so anxious and they literally come to school at like 7:45. They make sure that I'm here and then they go get breakfast. I think some of their anxiety is just like: ‘is everything going to be normal?’ So I just log in at 7:45 and go about my business… I try to be there.” Most high schoolers rarely rise before 7:30 AM and some race to their computers just as the clock strikes 8:15. Elana quickly added, “One of the kids today logged in at 6:51! I saw it pop up on my phone and I was like oh my god, this kid didn't move his clock! He forgot to move his clock back!!”

The transition to virtual school required a lot of flexibility, adaptability, and research. Exploration and Discovery are necessary for one to Encounter new tools that are then exchanged between teachers and students. Something new they found was this “new software program… called Noodletools.” “Oh my god! It is so much easier,” Taylor exclaimed, “It's like Easybib, if Easybib was always right! So I think that is helpful.”

This year, Taylor switched to a different citation style (Chicago formatting) typically used by professional historians. “Well, for many years I had used MLA,” Taylor began, “My rationale was that students might be more likely to use MLA in other classes... historians don't use MLA… History actually has its own citation style and it’s actually super easy and it makes for great reading because there are no more in text citations!” NHD does accept submissions in either style but Taylor made three clear points: “it's more appropriate for the subject matter, it puts students in better stead if they went to do the contest and then with noodle tools, pffttt, whatever! I'll just click ‘Chicago.’”

The topic of communication comes back time and time again, showing its importance. Elana stated, “the biggest tip is communication: if you are struggling— if you have questions— you need to ask for help. Second huge tip: don't procrastinate. If you do a little bit every week you will actually get it done.” The paper has the spotlight but “don’t wait until the last minute to do your bibliography! It takes a lot of time to finish,” wrote Allison Fortenberry, a senior who took 2nd place in the 2019 city and state competitions. Taylor had said something similar, “Work steadily,” she stated, “you have to read and become an expert in your topic which is why I really want students to do a topic that they feel passionately about.”

“One of the other things that I find really important with NHD is the mentorship aspect, which is just so amazing!” Each year, upperclassmen who have completed NHD are able to guide 10th graders through their adventure with valuable insider advice. Taylor explained, “this was something that was started by students too… A student came to me and was like, ‘okay, I’m gonna work with people next year’ and I was like, ‘uhh you are?’ She just really pushed me and then her example led other students to say, ‘we wanna do that!’”

Upperclassmen and other NHD alums sent some personal tips that helped them triumph NHD their projects.The majority of responses remind everyone to avoid procrastinating especially on a large project such as this one. Owen Moss (12-3), wrote “Writing the majority of your paper in one night is not fun.” Noel McClellan (11-3) seconded that saying, “it is the worst.” Mikaela Finlay (11-1) explained, “visiting archives as much as you need is totally worth it!” Though in-person archive visits are not required, “Penn archives, and I’m sure many others, will send you some of their sources digitally.” Contacting them for digitized primary sources often may work to your advantage! “Meet your deadlines!” Jose Dasilva (11-1) noted. They are there to guide you and to help you with time management. With her group who made 2nd place at NHD States, Madison Shelton (11-4) wrote, “Before every deadline, ask for someone who doesn’t know your project to read it.” As an expert on the topic, it’ll keep you in check so that other readers can easily comprehend your work. Last but not least, from Nay Ko, a Masterman alumni from the class of 2019, “Don’t overthink it!”

After a brief moment of silence, Taylor added, “I can't even express in words how helpful it is for me and 10th graders who are doing their projects… I really think it's a great reflection on our Masterman community and how you guys can really pull together for each other— even if you’ve never met before.”

Though history isn’t always a person’s strong suit, NHD is all about the freedom to study one’s passions; it could augment their zeal for a topic by the end. “For some students, they're going to do such high level work [with NHD] that it's actually going to add to the body of historical understanding at the time,” Taylor concluded, becoming that individual in history.