Three students from East Aurora High School recently qualified to compete in the 2018 Illinois History Day competition May 3 in Springfield.
State History Day qualifiers include Sam Stade and Sebastian Valerio, whose documentary on the Haymarket Riot qualified for the competition. The third state qualifier is sophomore Sama Kreidi, for her research paper entitled “Ida B. Wells’ Progressive Fight Against Lynching”.
Stade and Valerio were honored at an awards ceremony at the Chicago History Museum, where they received the Les Orear Memorial Award for Labor Rights.
The three Tomcats had advanced through three levels of competition to qualify for the Illinois History Day state finals.
Although neither project advanced to the national competition, both earned a Superior rating at Illinois History Day. Stade and Valerio scored 97 of 100 for their documentary, and East High is still awaiting the final score for Kreidi’s research paper.
East Aurora social studies teacher Matthew Caylor is the Social Studies Club Advisor for East Aurora High School. East High has a strong tradition of success in this competition with students qualifying for National History Day in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2017.
— East Aurora School District 131
