Lynn Classical student, Joseph Severe, recently received the news that he is a finalist in the Lions Club Zone Competition and will be moving up to the regional level. On Jan. 15, Severe was invited to visit the State House alongside history teachers Dena Capano and Kristen Tabacco.
“Being in that room felt like there was a great big change coming,” said Severe. “Especially with the senate and legislatures. And being in the middle of it all made me feel ecstatic because I was a part of something great. I believe this because there are urban cities that need civic education and would benefit a lot from the learning experience. I also felt like being a part of Massachusetts History Day has given me the opportunity to utilize my analysis skills and deep research.”
Massachusetts History Day (MHD) is a state affiliate of National History Day (NHD), a highly regarded academic program for elementary and secondary school students. As part of the history day project, students in Grades 6-12 are encourage to explore local, state, national, and world history. Each year more than half a million students participate in conducting in-depth research, using primary and secondary sources, work with libraries, archives, museums, oral history interviews, and/or historic sites, analyze and interpret their findings, and write and present their historical research.
“It was a wonderful experience,” said Kristen Tabacco, a history teacher at Lynn Classical High School. “We met some legislators and other leaders. We learned a lot about the new law and the Civics Trust money and how it will be used. As a bonus, Dan Cahill let us in the chamber to watch a real meeting. It was very interesting.”