Columbia fifth-graders sweep top places in history contest

Winners in the National Americanism Elementary School Poster are all fifth-graders at Columbia Elementary School. Winners were Samanvi Vootukuri, third place; Joshua Murphree, second place; and Sarah Guo, first place. (CONTRIBUTED)

Sarah Guo’s work won first place in the National Americanism Elementary School Poster Contest. Like most winners, her poster for George Rogers Clark included original artwork, biographical information and quotes. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Fifth-graders at Columbia Elementary School swept the top three places in the National Americanism Elementary School Poster contest.

The Sons of the American Revolution sponsor the contest to stimulate interest in American history. From across the Tennessee Valley, 140 students from five schools entered.

Sarah Guo won first place. Her parents are Meng Wei Guo and Anlan Zhao. Joshua Murphree was the second-place winner. Josh’s parents are Jay and Karyn Murphree.

Samanvi Vootukuri took third place. Samanvi’s parents are Ravikanth and Suneetha Vootukuri. The winners received $100, $75 and $50, respectively.

Students created biographical profiles of George Rogers Clark, a Virginian and top-ranking American revolutionary in the northwestern frontier. “This poster was extremely important because it provided my students with an opportunity to dig deeper into what we were learning about in class,” Columbia social studies teacher Savannah Demeester said.

“They enjoyed it and produced incredible work.” The contest was “a wonderful extension opportunity to learn much more about an influential military leader,” Demeester said.

Contest winners were honored at a ceremony at the downtown library in Huntsville on Jan. 12. Sons of the American Revolution members Hal Thornton and Topper Birney presented the awards.

The poster was a required assignment for all Madison fifth-graders, parent Karyn Murphree said. “Columbia fifth-graders were required to participate for a social studies grade,” she said.

Judges considered how the posters represented the theme, originality, evidence of research, artistic merit and creativity, historical accuracy and visual aesthetics.

Each year for the contest, Sons of the American Revolution members select a different character who was involved with the American Revolution. The contest is open to public, private and home school students in grades 3-5, depending on the year in which the American Revolution is taught at the particular school.

Boy and Girl Scouts also can enter.

Jamie Hill is principal at Columbia.

For more information, visit alssar.org/poster-contest.