Hewlett-Woodmere students recognized for history research work

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Hewlett High School and Woodmere Middle School students are being recognized for their work in historical research.

Junior students Julia Klayman and Kira Grossman placed second in the New York State History Day competition for their group exhibit titled “Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Leading the Barrier Breaking Movement Toward Women’s Equality.”

The state competition was originally scheduled to take place in Cooperstown on March 18 but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and was held virtually. 

Both Klayman and Grossman also placed second in the 2019 state competition with their project “Using Mathematics & Perseverance to Save Lives During World War II: Alan Turing’s Triumphal Contribution and the Tragedy of Intolerance.” Fellow classmate Ian Isseks worked with them on that project.

Sophomores Madeline Heyman and Madison Honig also placed second for their group performance entitled “Loving v. Virginia: The Love Story that Changed America and Broke Barriers in History."

Eighth-graders Michael Heyman and Sydney Honig  and seventh-grader Harley Honig placed first in their age group for their group performance “As Women Achieve Power the Barriers Will Fall, the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Story.”

Alyssa Honig is Madison, Harley and Sydney’s mother. She noted the good relationship her family has with the Heyman. “This is the fourth year the kids are doing this and they just keep improving each year,” Honig said. “We just have a bond with the Heyman family as our kids have worked together for multiple years. The kids have the right formula with the Heyman’s.”

All of the students will move on to compete in the national level of the National History Day competition, which will take place virtually from June 14 to 20. 

The competition is sponsored by the nonprofit organization National History Day that was founded in 1974. The group offers academic programs that engage more than 500,000 middle school and high-school students across the world annually in conducting original research on historical topics of interest.

Grossman is excited for what lies ahead with their research project. "It is so great that the history fair could be held virtually this year,” Grossman said. “We are so excited that our exhibit is going to nationals."

Klayman noted why they chose to research women who led the way in the women's suffrage movement.  "We chose Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton because they are inspirational women to us," she said. “They laid the foundation for the women's rights movement in the United States."

Shari Braverman is Grossman’s mother and said that her daughter has been doing research projects like this since she was in middle school. “These two girls have been participating in these competitions since they were in sixth grade,” Braverman said. “It’s nice for the kids to be recognized for this especially during a time when positivity is needed.”