Talcott Mountain Academy
May 5, 2016 (Avon, CT) — Eighth grade student Lillian Steinmayer from Talcott Mountain Academy (TMA) in Avon, Conn., won 2nd place Junior Performance this past weekend at Connecticut History Day. Her finish qualifies her to compete at the National History Day competition, which will take place from June 12 through June 16 at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Connecticut History Day is an educational program of Connecticut’s Old State House and is one of 57 affiliate programs of the National History Day program. Connecticut History Day is open to students in grades 6-12 and encourages exploration of local, state, national and world history.
Ms. Steinmayer’s individual performance piece, Thar She Blows: A Performance on the Influence of Whaling, highlights the rich history of the whaling industry in Connecticut.
“History Day projects provide students with an excellent opportunity to learn and refine important skills,” according to Lydia Gibb, Talcott Mountain Academy Dean. “Students conduct research using primary source materials, interview experts, analyze and synthesize historical information and hone their presentation skills. Students have a great sense of accomplishment and pride when they bring their final project to competition. We are so pleased to have students compete at such a high level.”
Talcott Mountain Academy students have participate annually in Connecticut History Day, and this marks the third year in a row that TMA students have advanced to compete at the national level.
A second Talcott Mountain Academy student, 8th grader Annika Mathias, also took home an award for Outstanding Entry in Contemporary History. She was recognized for her paper, Nixon’s Negotiation: The 1972 Beijing Summit.
Talcott Mountain Academy is an independent school for intellectually excited students K-8. Founded in 1983 as a division of the Talcott Mountain Science Center and located in Avon, Conn., the Academy is a unique on-site learning laboratory that nurtures children’s innate abilities from an early age. A fully integrated curriculum provides a robust and meaningful education that fosters both the intellectual and creative abilities of gifted and talented children. www.talcottacademy.org