Instead of sleeping in, on Saturday, March 21, sophomores took their historical knowledge and creative talents to Fairfield University for National History Day

National History is an annual competition that half a million middle and high schoolers across

the country take part in. This year’s theme was leadership and legacy which meant every website, exhibit, paper, documentary or performance had to have a connection the theme.

The competition on Saturday was just for Fairfield County. However, 15 groups from Staples are advancing to the state competition in New Britain on May 9.

Following are the winners from Staples who participated in the competition:

Senior Division

Category:  Individual Exhibit

First Place:  Estelle Griswold-  Leadership and Legacy of Reproductive Rights

Student:  Lauren Stack

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Second Place:  Richard Rough:  Nature Conservancy

Student:  Jackson Daines

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Third Place:  Women in Engineering:  Emil Roebling

Student:  Elizabeth Gikas

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Category:  Group Exhibit

First Place:  Katherine Hepburn

Students:  Christina Yu,  Claire Seo

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Third Place:  Westport Country Playhouse

Students:  Alice Hickson,  Zoe Mezoff,  Julie Kaplan

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Category:  Group Documentary

First Place:  Frederick Rentschler

Students:  Jonathan Demeter,  Benjamin Shmaruk,  Dylan Gleicher

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Second Place:  Leadership and Legacy of New Haven Pizza

Students:  Logan Horowitz,  Jake Moskowitz,  Jack Pflug,  Jerrett Rende

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Third Place:  Igor Sikorsky-  A Leader in Aviation

Students:  James Farnen,  Kieran Clarke

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Category:  Individual Documentary

First Place:  Leadership and Legacy of Tanaquil LeClercq

Students:  Elizabeth Rhoads

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Second Place:  Prudence Crandall

Student:  Alex McMahon

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Third Place:  Harriet Beecher Stowe

Student:  Kellie Iannacone

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Category:  Group Website

First Place:  Samuel Colt

Students:  Kyle Fenstermacher,  Wesley Beeler,  Evan Hruskar

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Second Place:  Igor Sikorsky

Students:  Ananya Balaji,  Dylan Diamond,  Ben Parker,  Zack Ross

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Third Place:  Connecticut Sports

Students:  Bryan Penwell,  Finn McCartin

School:  Staples High School,  Westport

Category:  Individual Website

First Place:  Ella Grasso

Student:  Lulu Stracher

School:  Staples High School,  Westport