Fund Odyssey Students' Journey to Nationals (History Day)

This year, Odyssey Charter School students made it once again to the nationals for National History Day, a competition that intends to develop the historical research skills of middle and high school students in America. Participants work for months on a topic of their choosing, presenting it within the context of the annual theme, which for 2024-25 was "Rights and Responsibilities." First, students go to the state competition, then the top two groups and individuals in each category advance to the national competition.

One group, consisting of 12th graders Shae Babiak, Emma Fauser, Iyana Murray, and Thomas Walder, created an exhibit titled "On the Move," discussing the 1985 Philadelphia police bombing of the MOVE organization. Additionally, 11th grader Bailey Thompson created a solo exhibit titled "Unit 731: Atrocities Ignored," discussing a human experimentation unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The former group received first place in the Group Exhibit category of the state competition, while Bailey received second place in the Individual Exhibit category. These accomplishments, and their subsequent advancement to the national competition, indicate their vast abilities and passion for history, which I (David Cammisa, their advisor) greatly appreciate and want to continue to foster. The only remaining problem is funding: this GoFundMe exists to fund these accomplished Odyssey students to attend the national competition at the University of Maryland: College Park and to compete for the national prize.

The funds will go towards housing, food, transportation, and events exploring the Washington, D.C. area. (The bulk of what is needed will go towards housing.) Seeing that these students are interested in history, it would be the experience of a lifetime for them to make their way down to the competition for a chance at the national prize and to explore D.C. This would also be a great experience for junior Bailey to write about in her college applications, which she will be submitting in less than a year. Finally, the national competition experience will help draw in more Odyssey students to participate in the club and develop their historical skills.