ETHS students participated in the Chicago Metro History Fair in April, including (from left, back row): Flora Block, Bennett Silverstein, ETHS teacher Michael Pond, with (front row) Tyler Tomasello, Carlo Di Bernardo, Olivia Holland, Gabriela Seno.

Eleven Evanston Township High School students advanced to the Illinois State History Fair after competing in the Chicago Metro History Fair Finals on April 4, 2017. ETHS juniors Flora Block, Carlo Di Bernardo, Gabriela Senno advanced in the individual exhibit category and Olivia Holland, Bennett Silverstein, and Tyler Tomasello advanced in the group exhibit category. Additionally, juniors Mattias Amezquita-Fox, Andrew Borland, Dakota Erwin, and Theodore Lambert advanced in the group website category.

All projects were required to have a Chicagoland connection and adhered to the National History Day theme “Taking a Stand in History.” Amezquita-Fox, Borland, Erwin, and Lambert received Finalist Awards for their website “Fred Hampton: ‘You Can’t Kill the Revolution.’” Block’s “Evanston: The Sting of Subtle Racism” explored the history of racial segregation in Evanston schools and the actions taken to desegregate. Di Bernardo’s exhibit examined the reversal of the Chicago River along with its impacts. Seno investigated the lesser known aspects of Ida B. Wells’ work on prison and education reform in Chicago. Holland, Silverstein, and Tomasello showcased their exhibit about Housing Discrimination during the Civil Rights era in Evanston.  

ETHS teacher Michael Pond, who sponsors the students in the competition, noted that this is the fourth consecutive year that ETHS students have made it to the state competition and the first time ETHS advanced every exhibit from the highly competitive Chicago finals round.

Chicago Metro History Fair exhibit and website projects were judged by quality of knowledge, analysis,
relation to the National History Day theme, sources, and presentation. More information about the annual competition is available online: http://www.chicagohistoryfair.org/.