Declaring April 21, 2005 as National History Day in Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, National History Day is among the most distinguished education programs in our nation with participation of over 700,000 students in grades 6 through 12; and

WHEREAS, National History Day in Pennsylvania, is a long-standing program serving nearly 1,000 Pennsylvania students and enabling them to participate in National History Day competition in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, National History Day in Philadelphia is an opportunity for Philadelphia students to qualify for the Pennsylvania State competition on May 11-12, 2005 and be eligible for the National competition on June 11-16, 2005; and

WHEREAS, Thirty-seven cultural and community

partners united to return the National History Day program to Philadelphia and created NHD Philly!, a supportive National History Day program for Philadelphia students, giving students access to some of our nation’s most important history institutions, including museum, archives and historic sites; and

WHEREAS, With the support of educators Melvin Garrison, Donna Sharer, and Mary Hausler, NHD Philly! aligned the National History Day to local and State education requirements and testing, enabling the integration of this program into classroom learning and further opening the opportunity for our local students to participate in this program; and

WHEREAS, The Recreation Department, through several of its after school programs, incorporated National History Day as part of its cultural programming; and

WHEREAS, NHD Philly! opens the vast array of our region’s history institutions to enrich learning in the classroom and through community programs in a new and engaging manner for young people; and

WHEREAS, Through this program our youth will develop critical thinking, understanding of our democracy and the world, and a life-long appreciation of our region’s cultural treasures and our national heritage; and

WHEREAS,

The NHD Philly! partners demonstrate the extraordinary capacity of collaborative work in supporting the education of our youth; and

WHEREAS, The students, educators, schools and community centers participating in National History Day Philadelphia demonstrate a commitment to quality education, scholastic achievement and the cultivation of citizenship; and

WHEREAS, The Archivist of the United States honors National History Day in Philadelphia.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby declare April 21, 2005 as National History in Philadelphia.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the NHD Philly! partners at the competition on April 21, 2005 as a symbol of this legislative body’s appreciation of their efforts to strengthen our community, and this body’s congratulations and appreciation to the students, educators, schools and community centers for participating in this prestigious program.

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