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Huntingtown girl among nation's top 10
History Day event has been family highlight for years
Friday, July 3, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Lauren White
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Despite having made it to the National History Day competition for five years, Lauren White's two favorite subjects are English and science.
"This is embarrassing," laughed the rising Huntingtown High School senior. "Mainly I like the research [involved in the competition]. I don't like the dry facts you have to learn in class; usually they don't tend to stick."
What did stick, however, was White's incredible success with National History Day, held each year in College Park and this year June 14 through 18. This year she came in fourth place and she has placed in the top 10 in 2008, 2007 and 2005.
Each year, White, 16, has chosen to present her research in a documentary-style film.
"I have a big interest in film and I don't necessarily want to study it in college but I do want to continue with it," said White, who explained that many of her projects have been related to the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima in 1945. She said she was inspired by her older brother Matthew, who majored in Asian studies, and a play she saw on the historic event.
"[The competition is] actually really a lot of fun for me. It allows me to be really creative and, it's going to sound corny, but it makes history come alive … it allows me to connect with it," White said.
She explained that she first became interested in National History Day through her brother, who participated in the program for seven years, also choosing to present his work in documentaries.
Since then, the competition has become a family affair for the Whites.
"The history day concept has sort of got the family involved … Instead of taking typical family vacations, the vacations are kind of tailored to something that will give her research capabilities," said her father, Dennis White of Huntingtown, who cited a trip to Wilmington, Ohio, last year for Lauren's 2009 project on artist Ben Shahn. Shahn is well known for a series he painted on "The Lucky Dragon," a Japanese tuna fishing boat exposed to and contaminated by nuclear fallout in the 1950s.
Despite enjoying the competition, White admitted that she has a few "obsessive compulsive" superstitions that she must follow each year. Her films always have to be in a University of Maryland bag; she has to somehow have the number seven in her presentation time "or else I freak out;" and she has to carry her "good luck pig."
"And her father's not allowed to come to Nationals," Dennis White laughed, explaining that the one time he was present, Lauren did not place in the runoff round.
Surprisingly, 2009 may have been Lauren's last year participating in National History Day, as she explained she is going to be a tiny bit busy with AP classes, volleyball, college applications, mentoring and making a film as Huntingtown High's National Honor Society's treasurer.
"I would love to do it and hopefully it'll work out that I can … [but] I just don't know if I'll have time," Lauren said.
Dad, however, said that the family is planning on urging her this summer.
"Hopefully we'll talk her into starting the next history project," Dennis White said. " ... I've been very proud of both children. The history fair project has been a very rewarding project for the whole family. We've met a lot of interesting people across the United States and it's become fun to see Lauren grow through the process."
Her mother, Cheryl White, agreed, stating in an e-mail, "Lauren has developed and refined many life skills through participating in National History Day over the past six years and her father and I couldn't be prouder of her accomplishments. It's been a joy to watch her delve into her projects with such enthusiasm and determination to produce quality documentaries."
Whatever happens in 2010, Lauren said she has nothing but fond memories of the contests and preparing her projects.
"I love the stories [history] tells. There is so much you can learn about yourself through history just by looking into the past and other people," she said.
