CRAFTSBURY – History Club students from Craftsbury Academy participated in April’s Vermont History Day at the University of Vermont’s Davis Center.

The students developed a wide range of topics addressing this year’s theme, “Turning Point in History.”
Ada Allen’s work “A Day at the Beach: Social Norms and Societal Evolution in American Recreational Swimming Culture,” received the Special Prize for Women’s History.
Matthew Califano’s paper in the High School Division, “The Sherman Act and the Birth of the Administrative State” earned third place in the Senior Division for papers.

Madison Amell and Adrienne Robillard’s project, “Harriet Tubman and a Fight for A New Life,” documented the early life and experiences of Harriet Tubman as a freedom fighter.
James Reynolds and Arden Bissell’s “Attack on Pearl Harbor” documented the turning point of Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into World War II.
Linden Fox and Sylvan Van Gulden studied the economic and physical landscape of Vermont in “The Vermont Sheep Boom.”
Allen received support and research assistance from the Greensboro Historical Society (GHS). She researched in the collections of the society to develop her topic. Working with Archivist Leslie Rowell and Program Chairperson Jenny Stoner, Allen visited the collections and was able to review a wide range of local sources, including historic period bathing costumes, photo collections and periodicals that helped her situate her project in a local context.
Of her research at the GHS, Allen said, “It was so fun to see how my topic was connected to so many local stories.” She said that she is looking forward to visiting again and studying more local strands of history.
The annual program is sponsored by the Vermont Historical Society and held in April, with over 300 students from around the state participating this year.