HALB students advance to Long Island History Day

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Three teams of Hebrew Academy of Long Beach students captured three different categories during the Woodmere school’s fourth annual History Day Fair on Feb. 9, as part of the larger National History Day competition. A competition that more than a half a million students take part in each year.

The projects examine an event in history and how it relates to a national theme. For the past five months, under the guidance of social studies teacher Kristen Waterman, the eighth grade students researched varied events in history related to the theme of “Communication: The Key to Understanding.”  

HALB students researched time periods ranging from the American Industrial Revolution to the 1980s. They discovered how different methods of communication could be the key to understanding historical events. Students were able to present their information as a documentary, website or exhibit.  

Each project had the students applying real world skills to present their research, in what is considered a fun and exciting way. The students presented projects in person, while parents and family members watched on Zoom.

Winning documentary: “Television: The Key to Understanding the American Family,” Leah Ganchrow, Elana Silvera, Goldie Kuflik, and Yaira Herskowitz.

Winning exhibit: “Breaking the Enigma Code,” Binyamin Posner, Menachem Porter, Ethan Ostrow and Yoni Schochet.

Winning Website: “It’s a Sunny Day to Learn,” Abby Karkowsky, Mikhaela Abayev, Sima Ross, Kayla Paul and Olivia Papilsky.

Those students advance to compete virtually in the Long Island History Day in March. Judging is from March 14 to 25 with final results announced on Mach 26.