Four McDowell High School students earned a place at the state-level National History Day competition that will be held at Penn State University on May 10 and 11.

McDowell students Mike DeDad, Laura Currie, Mike Leone, and Matt Harrison competed at the regional-level competition at Edinboro University.

Each year a broad theme is selected for the contest. The theme of National History Day 2006 is Taking a Stand in History: People, Ideas, Events.

National History Day is a year-long education program that engages students in grades 6-12 in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. Students produce dramatic performances, imaginative exhibits, multimedia documentaries, or research papers based on the annual theme.

Students in Mr. Okey Graham’s honors social studies classes are required to put together a project for History Day. This is the seventh year McDowell students have competed in the regional event.

Winners from the Pennsylvania competition will next compete at National History Day held in June at the University of Maryland at College Park.