New Project For State History Winner: Paying To Get To Nationals

Kalaheo High School freshman Tatiana Zamora placed third in the state for this project on the fall of the Berlin Wall, qualifying for the National History Day competition next month in Washington, D.C. Photo from Martha Robertson.

As with many school competitions in Hawaii, winning can mean a chance at national awards – if one can afford the trip.

This year’s Hawaii History Day produced some impressive qualifiers for National History Day next month in Maryland, including three-time national qualifier Tatiana Zamora, who is only a freshman a Kalaheo High School.

She and her family are thrilled, but are busy trying to raise $2,100 by June 3 to cover the trip. It’s like a wall they have to climb over – sort of like the Berlin Wall. Zamora placed third in the state under the Senior Exhibit category for her study, “Die Wende: The fall of the Berlin Wall as the turning point toward reunification.” She also earned a special award (and $50) from the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council for “outstanding projects on historical research related to international understanding and awareness.”

Meanwhile, the candy bars and bake sales continue. According to supporter Martha Robertson, retired Kalaheo librarian, they’ve “had difficulty raising funds for an individual, and grant policies make this very challenging.”

Anyone wanting to support Zamora’s effort to make it to the June 9-13 competition may write checks to Hawaii Council for the Humanities prior to the June 3 deadline. Robertson requests that donations be mailed to her home, so she can keep track of who the Zamoras should thank. The address is 575 Paokano Loop, Kailua, HI 96734. For more information, call 262-0170.

Also qualifying for the national trip were seven Kahuku High students, three Kahuku Intermediate students, one each from Kailua and King Intermediate, five from Kainalu Elementary and three from Laie Elementary.

Zamora placed first in the state last year and third at nationals (as a Kailua Intermediate eighth-grader) for her project, “Bay of Pigs Invasion: The United States Reaction to Castro’s Revolution.”