Students bring the past to life at middle school History Fairs

Both middle schools in the North Syracuse Central School District recently held their annual history fairs, and the creativity on display was nothing short of outstanding. This year marked Gillette Road Middle School’s third annual History Fair with more than 200 projects and Roxboro Middle’s event had many more impressive displays. The events were coordinated by Eileen Gleason at Gillette and Nicole Quinn at Roxboro. To participate, students were asked to explore any historical event, era, person, or place that interested them. The result? A mix of topics brought to life through display boards, costumes, models, videos, dioramas and even LEGO stop-motion animations. Students dove into a wide range of subjects, from past civilizations like Ancient Greece, Sparta, and Japan, to modern-day icons such as Simone Biles, Michael Jackson and Nancy Lieberman. Students even tackled major global events like the Salem Witch Trials, the Holocaust, 9/11, the Cold War, the Nakba, and the World Wars, as well as fascinating topics like the history of Crocs, Starbucks, McDonald’s, braces, roller coasters, snowboarding and even the evolution of jet engines.

Sports lovers shared projects on the history of the NFL, baseball, basketball, softball and lacrosse, including local heroes from Syracuse University’s women’s lacrosse team. Students also looked at video games, animation, Roblox, the Titanic, Greek mythology, the Mona Lisa, Disney history and the rise of social movements. Others tackled themes with personal and social relevance, such as cellphones in schools, the Space Race and the role of code talkers during wartime. Donna Marie Norton, Director of Social Studies for the district, visited both events and was impressed by the students’ creativity and vision. “The fairs provided a platform for students to demonstrate their creativity, research skills and passion for learning,” she said. “Each project reflected hours of dedication and hard work, showcasing the depth of knowledge and critical thinking abilities of the participating students.” Mrs. Norton also thanked the teachers and staff who supported the students, especially those who stayed after school to help them bring their projects to life. Congratulations to all the students who participated in the North Syracuse Central School District History Fairs! Your curiosity, creativity, and commitment to learning brought history alive in the most exciting ways.