National History Day - Apartheid

Gabi and her friend, Madison Kreil have been working for the past 5 months or so on a HUGE project that ended up being a first place winner at the National History Day Competition at St. Mary's College today!!  The title:  Apartheid.  We were a bit thrown off by the timing of the competition when we were told on Thursday the date had been moved up by a couple of weeks and it was actually this coming Saturday!  With the girls busy in basketball and sick on top of it, this left them with little time to prepare.  They met up at 8:00 am this morning and actually worked on the whole thing right up until their presentation time of 10:40 am.  Their project was a documentary on the Sharpeville Massacre.  Since Gabi usually went to Madison's house to work on the project together (since most of the equipment they were using were hers), Ben and I were not able to see the project until today at presentation time.  It was good!!  For as nervous as the girls seemed before going in, you sure couldn't tell it.  They answered the questions from the judges smoothly and our impression was the judges really enjoyed the documentary and it coming to light.  Granted, the girls need to work on some of the pictures and placements as the documentary runs (minor)...they did great!  They were ultimately surprised and excited when they were named first place in the group documentary category!  Blue ribbons for the both of them!  And they are able to take their work to state in the next couple of months!  Gabi was extremely happy that all their hard work payed off.  Only two projects got first place from John Young with the girls being one.  So very proud!!! 

 Gabi, Madison and their Honors History teacher, Mr. Gill

 The group from John Young who had presentations

Lindsay, Gabi and Madison

 All three judges gave them great marks!