photo by: Bishop Seabury Academy

Bishop Seabury Academy's Mia Rasmussen's documentary, "Kansas City Jazz: A Frontier for Black Success," was screened at the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Two Bishop Seabury Academy students had their National History Day projects showcased this month at the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., as part of the annual National History Day competition.

The students’ projects were selected from all of the qualifying entries from Kansas to represent the state in the Smithsonian showcases on June 14, according to a news release from Bishop Seabury Academy, a private school in Lawrence.

Aiden Najafizadeh’s exhibit, “Freedom’s Frontier: The Lecompton Constitution,” was showcased at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and Mia Rasmussen’s documentary, “Kansas City Jazz: A Frontier for Black Success,” was chosen by the staff at the National Museum of African American History and Culture to be showcased in the Oprah Winfrey theater at the museum.

photo by: Bishop Seabury Academy

Bishop Seabury Academy ‘s Aiden Najafizadeh is pictured with his exhibit, “Freedom’s Frontier: The Lecompton Constitution,” at the National Museum of American History.

National History Day is a yearlong academic program focused on historical research, interpretation and creative expression for sixth to 12th-grade students. At Bishop Seabury Academy, all seventh, ninth and 11th grade students complete a research project using NHD guidelines and may choose to compete in the district-level competition. First through third places at district qualify for state. Students who place first or second at the state level may participate in the annual competition in the nation’s capital.

This year eight Bishop Seabury students qualified for the national competition, and six were able to attend. Students and teacher Sonja Czarnecki organized a taco dinner fundraiser to support the cost of attendance.

Other Bishop Seabury students who competed at NHD:

• Katie Mastrosimone: “Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Her Contributions to the Frontier of Rock Music” (performance).

• Katherine Eudaly: “How Sewing Machines Impacted Women in Society” (performance).

• Campbell Helling, Sage McHenry and Spencer Timkar: “The Race to the South Pole: Earth’s Final Frontier” (documentary).

• Marcella MacGonagle qualified with her website, “The Street Art/Graffiti Movement,” but was unable to participate at nationals.

photo by: Bishop Seabury Academy

Bishop Seabury Academy’s Katie Mastrosimone performs “Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Her Contributions to the Frontier of Rock Music” at the National History Day competition.

photo by: Bishop Seabury Academy

Bishop Seabury Academy’s Katherine Eudaly performs “How Sewing Machines Impacted Women in Society” at the National History Day competition.