Each February the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) commemorates Georgia Day as part of the Georgia History Festival, marking the anniversary of the founding of Georgia in 1733. Georgia Day is intended to provide a unique opportunity to consider what Georgia and Georgia history means to each of us. Georgia Day events, activities, and resources offer students across the state a chance to learn about Georgia's past and express what they have learned in creative ways. Students who participate in the individual Statewide Student Art Contest or the Classroom Contest by interpreting the annual Georgia Day theme gain unique and engaging learning experiences.
The 2023-2024 Georgia History Festival theme is “Governing Georgia Across Three Centuries." In keeping with the Georgia History Festival (GHF) theme, this year's Georgia Day Statewide Art Contest and Georgia Day Banner Competition challenged students to explore the topic “A Legacy of Leadership: Georgia's Elected Officials." Using creativity, students were asked to illustrate how Georgia's elected officials have demonstrated leadership qualities and executed their responsibility to govern. Students could explore elected officials from throughout Georgia's history, including those governing their hometowns.
Through the Classroom Contest, schools created a collaborative art piece on the theme reflected in a bulletin board or door decoration. The student-created work highlighted important leaders and topics throughout Georgia's history. In its inaugural year, seven schools submitted their work for consideration and three Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools swept the Elementary Division awards.
The winning entries are:
•1st Place–Shuman Elementary-Governing Georgia Across Three Centuries Quilt & Poem
•2nd Place–May Howard Elementary School - History of Georgia Government
•3rd Place–Gadsden Elementary School - Governing Georgia Across Three Centuries
Shuman Elementary teacher Jessica Price and her students were surprised with the news of their First Place finish by staff of the Georgia
Through the Statewide Student Art Contest, individual participants considered the topic of “A Legacy of Leadership: Georgia's Elected Officials." Through various mediums, students depicted leaders of Georgia throughout its history and reflected on how they demonstrated their leadership qualities and executed their responsibility to govern. The Georgia Historical Society received submissions from more than 85 students from eight counties across Georgia.
The winning entries from Savannah-Chatham Schools are:
Elementary School:
Most Creative – Rosalynn Carter – Olivia Amador, May Howard Elementary, Chatham County
Most Original – Georgia's Legacy of Leadership Through the Centuries – Farrah Pfeiffer, May Howard Elementary, Chatham County
Best use of theme – Contributions of Georgia's Leaders – Aarav Dharmaraj, New Hampstead K8, Chatham County
Congratulations to all!
Instead of the traditional Georgia History Day Parade, the Georgia Historical Society held an expo at the Savannah Civic Center this year. See more photos of our students enjoying that event here.
