National History Day, The Parents' View
By Brent and Cheri Ghan
For most people, February means an occasional balmy day followed by an ice storm, Valentine's treats and the promise of spring just around the corner. For the last several years in our household, however, February has meant fine-tuning scripts, putting the last touches on costumes and getting ready for "showtime," the Regional competition of National History Day (NHD) in Missouri. The slogan for National History Day is "It's not just a day, it's an experience." We think it also could be "It's not just a day, it's our future," for National History Day helps our young people learn from our yesterdays to become adults we hope will give us all a brighter tomorrow.
We've been involved with the NHD program in some form since the mid-nineties when Brent served several years as a state judge. From the first time we saw the students' work we were both impressed with the obvious dedication to research, creativity and detail they had made in preparing their project. We assumed parents probably played a role in guiding their students, but we had no idea of the impact a History Day project can have on a family until our son decided to compete.
Chris's participation in NHD over the years has been a unique family experience that has brought all of us wonderful knowledge, given us great topics for discussion and, quite frankly, it has been fun. We've visited museums, historical sites and talked with Chris about the many books and sources he has used. We've also been proud to be "Chris Ghan’s parents" as his last two projects have resulted in performances to many organizations in Columbia and around the state and trips to the University of Maryland to represent Missouri in National History Day. While Chris has clearly been the person to gain most from the experience, we would say we have not been without reward through the process. Watching him grow and mature as a scholar has been one of life's greatest gifts.
Chris Ghan as Benjamin Franklin in 2008
While Chris's teachers have been generally supportive of his History Day participation, it only was an official class project in his senior gifted education independent study. So, we assumed the role of mentors and teachers at home. We helped him review the rules and regulations that govern the projects to ensure he was in compliance. We helped him plan a work schedule to deliver a finished project and be in peak performance mode on each competition day. We offered thoughts on where he might seek research and helped him find the various pieces of wardrobe and props he would need to create his characters. As he was not a driver for most of his competition years, one of the biggest commitments we made was to be his "wheels" when he needed to go conduct research, shop for props, etc.
We cannot stress enough the value of all of this to our family as a whole. Some might call us "nerds," but we thoroughly enjoyed the many travel opportunities History Day projects afforded us. Having the subject as a common family interest was fun. We might not have gone to the Old Courthouse in St. Louis had it not been for Chris’s Dred Scott research. While we had visited the Truman Library, I'm not sure we would have made the repeated trips there, and I am quite certain Chris would not have had the occasion to perform there as Harry Truman. The looks on the faces of a bus tour group as they peered out a window at a still costumed Chris strolling near the Trumans’ gravesites is one we are not likely to forget. To have your son appear as one of the featured characters, again as Harry Truman, in a county sesquicentennial parade is something a lot of parents don't get to experience. And, the honor of accompanying your child as he or she represents your state at a national competition is an absolute joy and thrill. Watching that young person, who you have seen grow emotionally and intellectually through years of participating in this program, walk to the stage in an arena to be named a national medalist was perhaps as great a thrill for us as for him.
But while all of this was wonderful and exciting, the biggest thrill, again, is watching your child mature as a person and a scholar. To see him take an initially discouraging experience and come back with determination and dedication to see projects through and to improve his work each year based on judges’ feedback and his own experience assures us that he will have a much better chance of dealing with the problems he will undoubtedly encounter as he goes through life. Life isn’t easy and life doesn’t always work out like you plan. But with these lessons learned through National History Day, we think Chris is much better equipped to meet life, move forward and hopefully play a role in helping all of us down the road.
