Department of History hosts annual West Kentucky history competition

 

MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State University’s Department of History welcomed over 250 area middle and high school students on March 3 and 5 for its annual West Kentucky history competition.

The competition consists of multiple-choice tests in United States history and world history. Students can compete individually and as part of school teams. The middle school competition covers either United States history to 1865 or world history to 1500. The high school competition covers either United States history since 1865 or world history since 1500. Each test features tiebreaker questions based on current events.

Awards are given for each competition at a closing ceremony. Individual awards for each exam, as well as team awards for each exam, are given. Individual awards are based on students’ scores on the exam and team awards are based on the average score of all team members.

“Our History Day competitions provide some great opportunities for the students who attend,” says Dr. Kathy Callahan, professor of history at Murray State and coordinator of the event. “They get to showcase their knowledge, interact with other history-loving students from the tri-state area in friendly competitions, and spend a day on the Murray State campus experiencing what it’s like to be a college student.”

In addition to participating in the competitions, several groups visited Pogue Library, where Dr. Aaron Irvin, associate professor of history, offered the students an up-close look at the department’s collection of ancient artifacts.

Department of History graduate assistants Shane Tanner and Cari Mikez helped with much of the preparation for the event, and numerous members of the History Club and Phi Alpha Theta, the history honor society, as well as other history majors and minors, also volunteered their time.

Middle schools that participated this year included:

• • • Calloway County Middle School - 2nd place world history; 1st place U.S. history
    • Community Christian Academy
    • Fulton County Middle School
    • Graves County Middle School - 2nd place U.S. history
    • Lone Oak Middle School - 1st place world history
    • Murray Middle School - 3rd place world history; 3rd place U.S. history
    • South Marshall County Middle School

 

High schools that participated this year included:

• • • Calloway Country High School - 2nd place U.S. history; 1st place world history
    • Camden Central High School (Tennessee)
    • Henry County High School (Tennessee) - 3rd place U.S. history: 2nd place world history
    • Hickman County High School
    • Joppa High School (Illinois)
    • Lyon County High School
    • Mayfield High School
    • Murray High School - 1st place U.S. history; 3rd place world history

 

For more information on the event, contact the Department of History at 270-809-2231.