Solana Ranch students win several divisions at National History Day competition

Solana Ranch Elementary School students participated in a nation-wide program where they selected a topic and conducted a three-four-month-long history project on a theme determined by the National History Day organization in College Park, Md. Thousands of elementary through high school students across the country participate, and this year all students addressed the topic “Triumph and Tragedy in History.”

Recently over 350 students from across San Diego County presented their research to judges in 15-minute interviews at the San Diego County Office of Education. Thirty-seven students from Solana Ranch participated, with four groups winning their division, moving on to represent San Diego County in the State Competition to take place in Sacramento, May 9-12.

Solana Ranch Elementary School students were winners in the following categories:

Sydney Mafong and Kaelyn Liu won the Elementary Division with their project titled “A Triumph of Culture and a Tragedy of Exclusion: Chinese Laborers on the Transcontinental Railroad.”

Maxwell Strauss and Ryan Kang were also winners of the Elementary Division with their project titled “Brilliant Strategy and Bravery, Great Sacrifice and Loss: Operation Overlord, the Beginning of the End of WWII.”

Krish Mandati won the Junior Individual Website Division with his project titled “The Triangle Fire: Lethal Incident Inspires Communities to Rise up for Labor Laws.”

Justin Wang and Aarav Mirchandani won the Junior Group Website division with their project titled “Harriet Tubman: The Resilient Journey From Tragedy to Triumph.”

The National History Day Club at Solana Ranch is run by teachers Jordan Einbinder and Jojo Piranio.