COOPERSTOWN _ Various sites in Cooperstown were transformed into lively living history museums Friday with more than 400 middle and high school students participating for the New York State History Day competition.
Students from 12 regions around the state presented their award-winning work reflecting this year's theme: Conflict & Compromise in History.
The state finals were held at the New York State Historical Association, The Farmers' Museum, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and The Otesaga Hotel.
Nearly 100 community members, consisting of historians and educators, served as judges for the event.
First- and second-place winners in each category advanced to National History Day at the University of Maryland, College Park, in June.
The only area student earning recognition was Alexandra Rheinhardt, of Cooperstown High School, in the area of Senior Individual Documentary. She was awarded The Freeman's Journal Award for ``Sounds of Conflict: A Cultural Divide.''
Other area students taking part and their projects are listed below.
Hans Ofer, Maggie Pokorny, Cooperstown Middle School, "Nixon: Personal Conflicts, Presidential Compromise," Junior Historical Paper.
Olivia Kennison, Worcester Central School, "As If To Prove Their Whiteness: Italian Americans' Struggle with Racism," Junior Individual Documentary.
Felicia Haughn, Jenna Tiffany, and Sarah Evans, Worcester Central School, Vietnam Veterans' Stories of Conflict and Compromise," Junior Group Documentary.
Megan Barnes, Unadilla Valley MS, "Genocide in Darfur," Junior Individual Exhibit
Lauren Peck, Samantha Montgomery and Amanda Fink, Unadilla Valley Middle School, "The Public vs. NYRI," Junior Group Exhibit.
Sarah Wales, Unadilla Valley MS, "Trail of Tears," Junior Individual Exhibit.
Michaela Watts and Kaitlin Herzog, Unadilla Valley MS, "The Salem Witch Trials," Junior Group Exhibit.
Anna Kramer, Cooperstown HS, "Hot Oil v. Frozen Wilderness: The Controversies and Compromises on the Road to Partition," Senior Historical Paper.
Greg Brodersen, Molly Pearlman and Shyah Miller, Cooperstown, "Iranian Hostage Crisis," Senior Group Documentary.
Natalie Grigoli, Anna Sams and Emily Brown, Cooperstown, "Mary Queen of Scots." Senior Group Documentary
Robbie Katz, Cooperstown, "Old Enough To Die, Old Enough to Vote," Senior Websites.
William Reis, Cooperstown, "Love Canal "" Compensation for Contamination," Senior Individual Exhibit.
Erik Miller, Cierra Ralph, Nikki Estro and Kristina Walsh, Worcester Central School, "She's a Witch!" Junior Group Performance.
Christen Dutkowsky, Cooperstown, "Mare Nostrum," Senior Historical Paper.
Samantha Borgstrom, Cooperstown, "Ich Bin Ein Berliner: One City Compromised by Conflict," Senior Individual Exhibit.
Madeline Wenner, Emily Rion, Kassandra Piatt and Andrew Gage, Stamford CS, "Joan of Arc: The Voices of Conflict & the Years of Demanding Compromise," Senior Group Exhibit.
The state contest, sponsored by the New York State Historical Association, is a yearlong history education program that challenges students in grades 6-12 to produce exceptional scholarship on topics in history
