History Olympiad Brings the Past to Life
In History Olympiad’s second meeting, club members learn about different studying techniques such as the Pomodoro technique, Leitner method, and mind mapping. Photo: Rachel Dong
By RACHEL DONG
“What seas border Greece?” Groups chat nervously, trying to keep their competition from hearing. A Vin and Mar team representative hovers his finger above the buzzer in anticipation. *Buzz!* “Is it the Mediterranean?” Yes, but what about the other two seas? A second buzz quickly follows. “The Ionian and Adriatic Seas!” +1 point for the Michelle team.
History Olympiad is a team-based trivia competition that uses a game show style format with buzzers. The club covers topics such as Ancient Greece, Russian Czars, Supreme Court Cases, Egyptian and Hindu Deities, and more – not just through trivia practice, but also through a variety of fun activities.
Drama brewed in a skit about the European Royal families where club member Michelle Levin ‘23 dressed in red, representing the House of Lancaster, while Samuel Reingold ‘23 dressed in all white, representing the House of York.
“Michelle, the good, was supposed to wear all red, but she failed to wear red pants,” said Reingold. “This gives the House of York full justice to declare war on the House of Lancaster!”
This was the first meeting for newcomer Erica Kong ‘23. “The club was more fun than I thought it would be,” Kong said. “The presentation made things way more interesting.”
President Elda Nesimi ‘22 said the club covers “not just what class teaches us but many other things like historical mysteries.” In a January meeting, members discussed their thoughts on aviation and their fear of flying. This introduced the mystery of Amelia Earhart’s drowning and her crashed plane in the Pacific.
The club also goes into important societal topics such as race relations, covering famous Black Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr. as well as less known contributors such as Shirley Chrisholm and Stokely Carmichael for Black History Month.
History is a subject of genuine passion among club members. “I think [history] is essential so you can know about yourself and how everything now is based on the past,” said Reingold. “By knowing the past, you get a better understanding of what the future will be like and also how to live in the present.”
“The name of the club may seem boring at first, but the environment is full of passionate students,” said club member Gabriela Martinez ‘23. “At each meeting, whether it’s virtual or in-person, everyone has fun while we learn about interesting topics.”
“It’s a very friendly community and a place for people who have a passion for history,” said Levin.
Currently, the club is building up to be a unique competitive team with a chance to take on regional and national tournaments. Vice President Anne Mai ‘22 said the club is different because it tries “to incorporate more competitive aspects and facilitate a collaborative environment.”
The leadership have enjoyed the opportunity the club provides to interact with new people. “Hosting a club, I’ve met so many students,” said Mai. “It really opened me to the Midwood student body.”
The club’s theme of interconnectedness came through on a topic about the least visited country in the world, Tuvalu, and the YouTube channel Yes Theory that travels the world and visits stigmatized countries such as Afghanistan.
Ms. Ioffe, the teacher who monitors the club, shared glowing remarks about the leaders. “These are the most hardworking ladies that I’ve seen for quite some time, along with everyone else,” she said. “They really take it on themselves to create all the activities. They put their hearts into it.”
If you’re a history nerd, or just curious, and want to give History Olympiad a shot, meetings are held Thursdays during period 11 (3:35 pm) in room 235.