Woodrow Wilson High School’s Social Studies Fair took place Dec. 4-8 in the school’s library. A total of 95 students were involved, completing over 50 projects. This year, group entries of up to five individuals were allowed. Each entry submitted was judged according to the WVDE (West Virginia Department of Education) score sheet. The project itself is constructed of three parts: the abstract, oral presentation, and the display.
Carolyn Wagner, a Woodrow Wilson Social Studies Teacher has been coordinating the program for the previous 13 years. Putting together such an elaborate competition comes with many responsibilities: emailing teachers, organizing, and collecting judges are just a few.
In addition to deciding if they want to work with others, students must also decide which category to present on. A collection of nine subjects are available to choose from, including Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Local/State History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, US History, and World History. Usually students first pick a topic that interests them and decide which category it best fits in. After finalizing their decision they are given roughly two months to prepare.
Some teachers of the school make competing mandatory, while others do not. However, they all agree it’s a great opportunity for students. “It’s important because some students do not compete with sports or other activities. It is also a way they can show their passion about what they’re learning,” one social studies teacher shares.
The winners from each category are invited to the county wide competition. Traditionally, Woodrow has always done well and has had many students move on to the county competition and regionals. This year, the county competition will be held on Feb. 10, 2024. Regionals will be held on March 16, 2024 at West Side High. If students win that competition they will proceed to the State Social Studies Fair in April at the Charleston Civic Center.
