Westridge Student Historians Present at On-Campus Research Symposium

On Wednesday, students in the Research in History class with Upper School History Department Chair and Faculty Melissa Kelley presented their research topics—the culmination of a year’s worth of study. The class, in its first year, is an opportunity for students who love history to dive into something they really care about while also exploring what history is and what distinguishes it as a discipline.

For the culminating projects, students wrote a research paper and created a visual presentation to share with the Westridge community. The topics included:

• The Intersections of Jewish and Black Cultures in Comedic Entertainment: an Anthology of a Cultural Revolution between the 1960s and the 1970s
• Gaps In The Record: The Detrimental Impact of Systemic Oppression and Lost Voices of Concubines In Imperial and Ancient China
• A History of Protest Fashion
• The Burdens of Young People in Sectarian Conflicts: The Intersection of Youth Culture and Violence in Northern Ireland
• A Codependent Experience: The Dialogues and Dynamics between Church Doctrine and Culture over Time

At the beginning of the year, students chose the topics they would explore. Kelley said they did many database searches and readings as well as mini presentations related to an aspect of the topics where students could give each other feedback—making it a community effort. “I’m so excited about this,” said Kelley, expressing hope that the program will grow.

Westridge School, 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, (626) 799-1053 ext. 200 or visit www.westridge.org.