By Nicole Thomas
SHS students Helen Peng and Lori Feng earned first place honors in the 2017 Mississippi National History Day competition held on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
Peng and Feng were recognized for their outstanding work in the development of a website about Chinese doctor and AIDS activist Gao Yaojie who uncovered a major H.I.V. outbreak in central China in the late 1990s after she was called to examine a female patient. Peng and Feng chose to research Dr. Gao because they felt her work reflected the theme of National History Day, “Taking a Stand.”
Tyler Dickerson also earned fourth place honors for his documentary detailing the Bataan Death March and Americans that were prisoners of war in WWII.
Peng and Feng advance to the national competition which will be held in June at the University of Maryland.
National History Day is a nationwide competition for middle and high school students. It encourages students to use their creativity to develop original historical research focused on an annual theme.