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Immanuel Lutheran School Students Shine At State History, Science Fairs


Anna Pappas (left) and Victoria Evans (right) each won gold at the Annual Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Exposition held at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Six students from Immanuel Lutheran School in Palatine received top honors at state history and science fairs in May.

Four eighth-grade students competed in the Illinois State History Fair held May 2 at Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, and two seventh-grade students participated in the Annual Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Exposition at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale May 4.

The road to the Illinois State History Fair included competing at the school and regional levels before being selected for the state competition in Springfield.

Selected Immanuel Lutheran students included: Derek Nagel with his project “The Rise and Fall of Sears”; Caroline Montella with her project “Cherry Mine Disaster of 1909”; and Russell Campbell with his project “The Battle of Fort Dearborn” were awarded Blue Superior ribbons, the highest award given. Campbell’s project also received the Illinois Society of Colonial Dames 17th Century Award.

Michelle Walsh, pictured with Immanuel Lutheran history teacher, Dave Saunders, was selected to represent the state of Illinois in the junior individual exhibits division at the National History Day in Washington, D.C. Walsh is the third Immanuel Lutheran student to represent the state of Illinois at the National History Day Contest since 2014.

Each year, more than 600,000 sixth through 12th grade students around the world participate in National History Day (NHD), a year-long academic program that engages young people in advanced history research projects that align with an annual theme.

Of those 600,000, less than 3,000 students advance to the National History Day Contest. One of this year’s students will be Immanuel Lutheran eighth-grader Michelle Walsh. Walsh’s project “The Great Depression in Chicago and Its Lasting Legacy” was chosen by judges in Springfield to be one of just two junior individual exhibits to represent Illinois at the 2019 National History Day, held at the University of Maryland, College Park, from June 9-13.

Walsh becomes the third Immanuel Lutheran student to represent Illinois at the National History Day Contest since 2014.

History fair students are under the direction and guidance of Dave Saunders, middle school and history teacher at Immanuel Lutheran-Palatine.

Immanuel Lutheran students display their “superior” ribbons at the Illinois State History Fair held in Springfield. Pictured (left to right) are: Russell Campbell, Derek Nagel and Caroline Montella. Campbell also is the recipient of the Illinois Society Colonial Dames 17th Century Award.

“These four students did a great job,” said Saunders. “Creating a good project involves doing a lot of research in both secondary and primary sources, then synthesizing the information they find to provide support for a historical thesis that they, themselves, develop. It’s quite the undertaking.”

Not to be outdone, Victoria Evans and Anna Pappas, seventh graders at Immanuel Lutheran, participated in the Annual Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Exposition on May 4. Evans’ project “Which Store-Bought Yogurt Sample Contains the Most Lactobacilli” and Pappas’ project “Will a Scented Candle Influence an Individual’s Perception of Taste” both brought home Gold certificates, the state’s highest award.

“Both students showed a serious commitment to their projects and the necessary research from the very beginning,” said Michelle Johns, middle school and science teacher at Immanuel Lutheran. “To earn recognition at the regional and state level, students must commit time and effort beyond their initial entry at the school level. These students worked hard to meet their goals and succeeded. I am thrilled for them. “

“We are so proud of all our students who worked so diligently on their award-winning projects,” said Delaine Schiestel, principal of Immanuel Lutheran School. “Not only are they representing Immanuel Lutheran School, they are representing the greater Palatine community as well.”

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