Camp Sherman celebrates History Day

An ice cream and cake evening social drew a large Camp Sherman crowd to the General Store last week to honor four National History Day winners from Black Butte School.

“It’s exactly what you would expect from a community like this,” said local resident Doug Curtis. “Anything less would be unacceptable.”

Master of Ceremonies Kevin Adams introduced Lauren White, first-place winner in Junior documentary division, Danielle and Rachel Lovegren, outstanding State Junior entry, and Julia van der Laan, Jamestown Special Award winner.

The crowd, seated on the outside deck of the store on a balmy evening, was treated to repeat performances of the winning presentations. Julia van der Laan presented her DVD on screen describing life in Holland under German occupation in the early 1940s and her great-grandfather, who worked to save Dutch Jews.

Lauren White presented her winning DVD entry, “Taking a Stand Behind the Cotton Curtain: The Freedom Summer of 1964.”

After some coaxing from MC Adams, the Lovegren girls reprised their creative presentation of slave songs for an appreciative audience.

“It’s remarkable in this day and age that a tiny two-room schoolhouse with 14 students can take national honors in the History Day competition,” Adams said. “The tremendous community support helps in these successes.”

After the presentations, the crowd was treated to ice cream and cake served by Kathy and Kelsey White.

Kelsey, Lauren’s sister, won at the national event two years prior. The girls’ parents are Kathy and Roger White, owners of the Camp Sherman Store.

“It was pretty awesome,” said Kathy White.

“Not to be forgotten is the tremendous job that teacher Toni Foster does in preparing students for this national event as well as teaching her students on a day-to-day basis,” said Ehrhard Dortmund, Black Butte School tutor and former history professor. “She is a very special teacher and person.”