Tell us something we don't know.

Are you competing at the national contest this year? We want to know the answers to some super-easy questions about you. We'll compile the answers, plus a flattering picture, in a digital Delegate Bio Book that you'll receive before we head east in a few weeks.

Copy and paste these questions into an email, and send to us asap!

1. What's your favorite class?
2. Favorite movie?
3. Favorite ice-cream flavor?
4. Favorite superhero?
5. Favorite activity outside of school (and outside of History Day)?
6. Thing about National History Day you're most looking forward to?
7. Thing about National History Day you're least looking forward to?
8. Favorite junk food?
9. Something unexpected or surprising about you?
10. Favorite book?

Woe to national finalists who don't do this--you don't want to get on Washington History Man's bad side...

Time is Running Out!

Many deadlines tomorrow for national contest travelers:

- The national contest online registration closes tomorrow at 8:59PM PST. Are you done? Are you sure? Did you get a confirmation email saying that you've paid? Maybe you should double-check...

- Order forms for t-shirts, buttons, and the bus tour are due at the state History Day office tomorrow, along with payment. Worst-case scenario: fax or email the order form to us right now, and call 360-586-0219 to arrange payment. Best case scenario: you sent everything in last week.

- Signed waivers are due at the state History Day office tomorrow. These are required of everyone who is participating in the bus tour, and yes, we do need an original signature. Fax or emailed PDF versions don't cut it in this case.

- Roommate preferences are due at the state History Day office tomorrow. Email your roommate choice, and we'll do our best to ensure your wish is granted.

Just think how much better you'll sleep, knowing this is all done--you can look forward to the national contest without that vague, nagging feeling of "I think I forgot something..." Questions? Email us.

State contest photographic recap 1: Saturday

Saturday photographic summary (in reverse, because I haven't quite figured out Blogger's quirks yet). Exhibit photos to follow this weekend. -Gwen

Coupeville's Nationals team
Prosser's Powerhouse team.
True champions: reading judging forms IMMEDIATELY after winning.
New champions.
Cheering on a teammate.

Team Wyeast (junior school champion)
Contemplating a trip to DC.
Also contemplating a trip to DC.
Reaction shot
Group hug! (Wyeast sweep!)
Washington History Man's entrance into the Awards Ceremony!
Our biggest crowd yet.
Who needs a phone booth?
Waiting for finals postings
2 of our HQ Minions (Leigh Douglas & Simone Prince-Eischner, both previous--and possibly future--Nationals finalists).

State Contest Results

Here it is! The complete list of state contest winners, 1st through 6th palce. We'll post special award winners tomorrow. Results are listed as follows:
City, School, Teacher - Title
Student(s)

Junior Individual Documentary
1
Bothell, WA, Northshore Junior High, Bill Boniface - Modern Art - Visual Statement of Belief
Kalin Goss

2
Coupeville, WA, Coupeville Middle School, Wilbur Purdue - A Wayward Journey: Innovation in Transportation Leads to the U.S. Interstate Highway System
Heni Barnes

3
Kirkland, WA, International Community School, Mark Bach- The Douglas DC-3: Innovation in Aviation
Josef Benzaoui

4
Vancouver, WA, Wyeast Middle School, Michelle Annett - DDT: Man's Miracle, Nature's Bane
Maggie Altenhof-Long

5
Oak Harbor, WA, Homeconnection, Dena Royal, Brenda Maronde - The Kenny Method: Changing the Lives of Polio Victims and Impacting the Future of Rehabilitation Medicine
Megan Maronde

6
Battle Ground, WA, Cam Jr./Sr. High, Connie Egeler- Yosemite Land Grant
Karina Rayl
 
Junior Group Documentary
1
Everett, WA, Explorer Middle School, Claire Elam - Apollo 11: Bringing Space Into Reach
Annalisa Castelli
Ryan Vogt
Alison Cantarano

2
Coupeville, WA, Coupeville Middle School, Wilbur Purdue - The 747, the Innovation that Changed the Economics of Air Travel and Air Transport, Bringing People and Cultures Together
Dawson D'Almeida
Jackson King

3
Renton, WA, McKnight Middle School, Jacqueline Eng - Dynamite: The Industrial Explosion
Nathan Sjoholm
Bahari Watkins
Luis Puga

4
Bothell, WA, Northshore Junior High, Bill Boniface - Jet Planes: Taking Off to the Future
Brian Cullinan
Julian Bacon

5
Vancouver, WA, Wyeast Middle School, Michelle Annett - The Bar Code
Joe Howard
Sam Howard
Ben Howard

6
Kingston, WA, Kingston Middle School, Mary Macala - National Parks: An Innovation in Conservation
Alexa Benjamin
Gillian McCormick

 
Junior Individual Exhibit
1
Seattle, WA, Lake Washington Girls Middle School, Jenny Zavatsky - The Great Seattle Fire 1889: An Opportunity to Innovate
Maia Lewis

2
Sequim, WA, Sequim Middle School, Tricia Billes, Todd Beuke - Changing the Face of War: The Longbow
Bill Koenig

3
Port Angeles, WA, Stevens Middle School, Leann McComb - Anesthesia: A New Era of Painless Surgery
Madeline Bradley

4
Redmond, WA, Redmond Junior High, Kimberly Jensen - The Women's Suffrage Movement in the U.S.: Foundations of Equality
Meghana Noonavath

5
Redmond, WA, Sunrise Elementary, Paula Cautrell, Patti Kalinski - The Green Revolution: Saving Lives, But At What Cost?
Erin Lee

6
Bellingham, WA, Whatcom Day Academy, Jennifer Deshaies - Common Sense: Innovative Words That Sparked Revolution
Tessa Jones
 
Junior Group Exhibit
1
Sequim, WA, Sequim Middle School, Tricia Billes, Todd Beuke - Lessons of Failure: The Impact and Innovation of the Bridges of the Narrows
Wesley Gilchrist
James Reis

2
Kent, WA, Mattson Middle School, Mary Aquino, Darlene Bishop - Nuclear Boom
Stephanie Ogden
Emily Gilbertson

3
Redmond, WA, Sunrise Elementary, Paula Cautrell, Patti Kalinski - The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: 145 Years of Compassion
Kaylee Holleman
Claire Miller

4
Bothell, WA, Northshore Junior High, Bill Boniface - Atomic Bomb: Innovation to Obligation
Drew Larsen
Randy Iwafuchi

5
Redmond, WA, Redmond Junior High, Kimberly Jensen - Confucianism: Building Social Norms and Stability
Karen Ai
Elaine Wang

6
Vancouver, WA, Shahala Middle School, Nicole Garrio - Nuclear Energy
Jonathan Feng
Jason Yu
 
Junior Individual Performance
1
Prosser, WA, Housel Middle School, Brock Buttars, Dean Smith - The Invention of Red Moon: Impacting American Science and Forever Changing Technology in the World
Sara Durrant

2
Vancouver, WA, Wyeast Middle School, Michelle Annett - The Hybrid Corn Seed: Impact on Agriculture and Economy
Sam Kesala

3
Stanwood, WA, Christianson Home School, Elizabeth Christianson - The Innovation of Aviation: Rapid Change Globle Impact
Andrew Christianson

4
Poulsbo, WA, West Sound Academy, Barrie Hillman - The Discovery of Anesthesia: Opening the Doors to Modern Surgery
Quinn Rain

5
Kirkland, WA, International Community School, Mark Bach - "OKLAHOMA!: Impacting the Standards of Broadway Musicals"
Devon Bortfeld

6
Redmond, WA, Redmond Junior High, Kimberly Jensen - The Ancient Dr. Seuss: Shakespeare's Influence on the English Language
Alyssa Foster
 
Junior Group Performance
1
Vancouver, WA, Wyeast Middle School, Michelle Annett - Sesame Street: A New Chalkboard for Education
Brittany Beaudoin
Cassie Bliley
Hayley McCarthy

2
Vancouver, WA, Wyeast Middle School, Michelle Annett - Employer Based Health Insurance: The Accident that Changed America
Romessa Ahmed
Shika Kalevor
Neesha Godbole

3
Vancouver, WA, Wyeast Middle School, Michelle Annett - Broadway: Breaking Social Barriers Show by Show
Katie Kibota
Annie Song
4

Kirkland, WA, International Community School, Mark Bach - "The 1949 Geneva Convention: An Innovation in Humanity"
Rachel Roberts
Aishwarya Nirmal

5
Poulsbo, WA, Poulsbo Middle School, Janet Kragen - The Shot to a Killer: The Smallpox Vaccine
Madison Derksema
Darby Lowney
Olivia Mansker-Stoker

6
Redmond, WA, Redmond Junior High, Kimberly Jensen - Magna Carta: Charter for Change
Anton De Leon
Zack Packer
Hannah Parish
Nikki Sharma

 
Junior Historical Paper
1
Bothell, WA, Canyon Park Junior High School, Dori Wuepper - Poisons That Heal
Peter Berge

2
Prosser, WA, Housel Middle School, Brock Buttars , Dean Smith - The Combine Harvester: Innovating Modern Wheat Farming, Impacting the Way the World Thinks About Bread
Christopher Wiley

3
Redmond, WA, Redmond Junior High, Kimberly Jensen - The Germ Theory of Disease
Jonathan Qu

4
Bothell, WA, Northshore Junior High, Bill Boniface - The X-ray: Viewing the Skeleton of History
Brenden Wong

5
Vancouver, WA, Wyeast Middle School, Roberta Uhland - Transition between Heliocentric and Geocentric Views
Emily Leland

6
Bellingham, WA, Whatcom Day Academy, Jennifer Deshaies - The Berlin Wall: Two Sides, One Story
Clara Wheeler

 
Junior Web Site
1
Vancouver, WA, Frontier Middle School, Kristie Neshyba - Galileo and the Telescope
Madison Snaric

2
Woodinville, WA, Timbercrest Junior High, Paula Cautrell, Patti Kalinski - AZT: Stopping a Killer
Megan Messer

3
Redmond, WA, Sunrise Elementary, Paula Cautrell, Patti Kalinski - Satellites: Revolutionizing Communication by Linking the World
Joshua Ervin

4
Prosser, WA, Housel Middle School, Brock Buttars, Dean Smith - The Innovation of the Jet Engine: Impacting the Skies and Changing the World
McKay Ashton
Taylor Gant

5
Redmond, WA, Sunrise Elementary, Paula Cautrell, Patti Kalinski - Radar: The Silent Detector
Jonathan Aiken

6
Kent, WA, Mattson Middle School, Mary Aquino, Darlene Bishop, Sue High - Innovation of the Phonograph: Recording History
Pravi Garcha
Mackenna Newmarch


 
Senior Individual Documentary
1
Kirkland, WA, International Community School, Mark Bach - Blood Plasma: Dr. Charles Drew's Innovation and Its Impact on Trauma Medicine
Nathan Maris

2
Kent, WA, Kentwood High School, Kathleen King - The Final Frontier: Star Trek, an Innovation
Samantha Larson

3
Mead, WA, Mt. Spokane High School, Luke Thomas - J. Harlen Bretz: A Scientific Innovation, The World's Greatest Flood
Kevin Yen

4
Port Orchard, WA, Marcus Whitman Junior High, Tom O'Loughlin - A New Era of Musicality: Jimi Hendrix's Innovations of Music
Madeleine Folkerts

5
Oak Harbor, WA, Homeconnection, Dena Royal - Heritage and Vigilance: The Innovative History of the National Archives and Records Administration
Adrianna Royal

6
Shoreline, WA, Shorewood High School, Mikael Christensen - The Stolen Generation: The Story of the Australian Aboriginal Children
Trevor Cronin
 

Senior Group Documentary
1
Redmond, WA, Redmond High School, Gregg McDonald - The Transcontinental Railroad: Uniting the States of America
Anand Raghuraman
Tian Kisch
Raluca Ifrim

2
Coupeville, WA, Coupeville High School, Wilbur Purdue - From Private to Public: Failures to Adapt the Black Ball Line Results in the Innovative Washington State Ferry System
Anna Bailey
Kelsey Miranda

3
Bainbridge Island, WA, Bainbridge High School, Loanne Harmeling - Sulfonamide
Henry Chipman
Colby Lea

4
Redmond, WA, Redmond High School, Gregg McDonald - Our Land: Preserving the American Wilderness
Tara Balakrishnan
Maya Balakrishnan
Edward Zhang
Sarah Du

5
Richland, WA, Delta High School, Jenny Rodriquez - Disaster, Development, Discovery: The Titanic
Krystal Reitan
Stevie-Jean Luke

6
Kent, WA, Kentridge High School, Kyle Patrick - The Telephone
Amy Yang
Sierra Wollen
 
Senior Individual Exhibit
1
Tacoma, WA, Charles Wright Academy, Nick Coddington - The Marine Chronometer: An Innovative Solution to the Longitude Problem
Sarah Sadlier

2
Poulsbo, WA, West Sound Academy, Barrie Hillman- How Bicycles Changed the World
Mikail Dash-Green

3
Stanwood, WA, Stanwood High School, Sabrina Shaw - National Parks: The Radical Idea to Preserve and Protect
Ashlyn Teather

4
Tacoma, WA, Academy Northwest-Summit, Laurie Akehurst - Red Bull: A Must or Bust
Tomara Swanson

5
Shoreline, WA, Shorewood High School, Mikael Christensen - Braille
Rebecca Erickson

6
Port Orchard, WA, Marcus Whitman Junior High, Tom O'Loughlin - The Wobblies: Paving a New Road for Workers of the World
Kylie Thomas
 
Senior Group Exhibit
1
Stanwood, WA, Stanwood High School, Sabrina Shaw - Empowering the People: The Bonneville Power Administration
Rebecca Raible
Heather Biehl

2
Stanwood, WA, Stanwood High School, Sabrina Shaw - The Iron Chink
Madalyn Schei
Emily Najar

3
Spanaway, WA, Bethel High School, James Sawatzki - The Protestant Reformation
Emma Kuhlmann
Samantha Shotwell

4
Richland, WA, Delta High School, Jenny Rodriquez - Communism: An Innovation in Thinking
Omar Baradi
Olukemi Olorunniwo
Seth Tegrotenhuis

5
Spanaway, WA, Bethel High School, James Sawatzki - Affirmative Action
Tyler Brewer
Maddison Bray

6
Spanaway, WA, Bethel High School, James Sawatzki - Title IX
Morgan Belieu
Caila Fautenberry
Jaclyn Parton
 
Senior Individual Performance
1
Prosser, WA, Prosser High School, Brock Buttars, Dean Smith - Constitutional Innovation: A Grand Idea and a Lasting Influence on the United States of America
Jordan Sperl

2
Port Orchard, WA, Marcus Whitman Junior High, Tom O'Loughlin - Propoganda and Its Use in Nazi Germany Against the Jews
Justine Morris

3
Coupeville, WA, Coupeville High School, Wilbur Purdue - The Innovation of Higher Education for Women: A Struggle to Gain the Right to Learn
Katelyn Wynn

4
Spanaway, WA, Bethel High School, James Sawatzki - Musical Theatre: Innovation with Social Influence
Megan Cook

5
Mead, WA, Mt. Spokane High School, Luke Thomas - Jack the Dripper
Julia Yen

6
Kent, WA, Kentridge High School, Kyle Patrick - Thomas Edison: Incandescence
Dumit Malacon

 
Senior Group Performance

1
Kirkland, WA, International Community School, Mark Bach - H4: John Harrison's Steadfast Determination to Conquer Space with Time
Abby Burlingame
Ceridwen Riley

2
Prosser, WA, Prosser High School, Brock Buttars, Dean Smith, Kay Thiede - Radio: An Innovation of Information
Braydon Smith
Alana Peters
Amanda Russell

3
Silverdale, WA, Klahowya Secondary School, Jeff Kreifels - Nuclear Energy: An Innovation that Radiates through History
Emily Kreifels
Boyd Wolking
Jared Sell

4
Spanaway, WA, Bethel High School, James Sawatzki - Greenpeace: Innovation in Direct Action
Felica Edwards
Kirstin Bare

5
Spanaway, WA, Bethel High School, James Sawatzki - Equal Rights Amendment
Lindsey House
Joann Silcio

6
Spanaway, WA, Bethel High School, James Sawatzki - Zionism: Impact and Change in the Middle East
Stormy Ross
Shelby Sewright


Senior Paper
1
Stanwood, WA, Stanwood High School, Sabrina Shaw - A Firm Foundation: Portland Cement Paves the Way to Innovation
Lynette Bye

2
Shoreline, WA, Shorewood High School, Mikael Christensen - Far Reaching Rights: An Era of Innovation in Treaty Law in Washington State that Impacted the Rights of Aborigines Worldwide
Jacob Ziontz

3
Sequim, WA, Sequim High School, Tricia Billes, Todd Beuke - A Chemist in the Kitchen: Ellen Swallow Richards' Innovative Applications of Science and their Impact on Home and Society
Hillary Smith

4
Seattle, WA, Seattle Preparatory School, Brian Elsner - Margaret Sanger’s Magic Pill
Nicole Tidwell

5
Marysville, WA, Academy Northwest - Marysville, Patti Deal - Penicillin
Langdon Wright

6
Seattle, WA, Seattle Preparatory School, Brian Elsner - National Parks and Conservation: An American Innovation
Nicholas Wang
 
Senior Web Site
1
Kirkland, WA, International Community School, Mark Bach - The Defibrillator: Revolutionizing the Pulse of Medical Innovation One Beat at a Time
Jessica Jin
Anastasiya Kirichuk

2
Stanwood, WA, Stanwood High School, Sabrina Shaw - The Polio Vaccine: Eradicating the Paralyzing Fear of the 20th Century
Austin Biehl
Adam Knott
Connor Martin

3
Shoreline, WA, Shorewood High School, Mikael Christensen - Barcodes: A Revolution in Data Capture
Madison Welsh
Emiko Yamada

4
Tacoma, WA, Charles Wright Academy, Nick Coddington - Blood Groups - The Innovation That Changed The Face of Medicine
Devika Agrawal

5
Stanwood, WA, Stanwood High School, Sabrina Shaw - Germ Theory: Louis Pasteur's Innovation to Prevent Disease
Kyle Blackburn
Max Osnes

6
Woodinville, WA, Leota Junior High, Jerrie Drinkwine - Life Changing Innovations in Diabetes Care
Paige Rinnert

Spectacular State Contest

First off, let me say: WOW. Just, WOW.

Lauren told you at the awards ceremony that Washington is a History Day powerhouse, and you all brought your A-game this year. This is what History Day is about.

A record number (558!) of History Day students from all around Washington competed Saturday at the Washington State History Day Contest. The facilities at Bellevue College were organized, clean, and easy to navigate. (Thank you, Bellevue College! Everyone was a pleasure to work with, and I hope we'll be back next year.)

Teachers, parents, friends, and family (and yes, judges) got to see the outcome of all your hard work. We could tell you all worked very, very hard.

I spent the past two weeks reading junior papers about chemotherapy, the combine, germ theory, the x-ray, the Berlin wall, four-stroke engines, barbed wire, the microscope, the atomic bomb, Wonder Woman, geocentrism, chocolate, and many more innovations. In their interviews, each student spoke eloquently and passionately about their topic. This is what History Day is about.

The exhibit hall, if you ignored the bleachers & slightly curling carpet squares, looked like a museum dedicated to innovation. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rubbed elbows with the longbow and spectacles. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Grand Coulee Dam, and Title IX stood tall alongside the Wilderness Act, the naval chronometer, and the typewriter. The Beatles faced off with the atomic bomb. Aircraft, oncology, and the Great Seattle Fire each had their say.

Craftsmanship, analysis, and enthusiasm ruled the day. This is what History Day is about.

Projects I saw at regional contests mere months ago were unrecognizable (I'm looking at you, Farragut girls--great job!!) and greatly improved (too many to count). It takes courage to get feedback, absorb it, and completely disassemble something you've worked so hard on, but I know more than a few of you got that advice from the judges and followed it. Believe me, it showed in the high quality of the work you presented.

Throughout the day, actors, actresses, and documentarians presented tightly scripted work about blood plasma, the transcontinental railroad, national parks, the Kenny Method, Oklahoma!, the National Archives & Records Administration, Star Trek, the DC-40, and barcodes. That's right: Oklahoma! and barcodes. This is what History Day is about.

Each and every one of you should be incredibly proud of yourself. You've done deep & advanced research. You are historians. Whether you made it to finals or not, won an award or not, you are a historian.

A photographic run-down of the day will follow tomorrow, but for now I leave you with this: Your family, friends, and judges were all impressed by your work. You should be as well.

This is what History Day is about.