Pair of local students make history at contest

By Staff
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
Two Hartselle students recently made history at a national competition.
Hartselle Junior High School student Houston Cleveland and Hartselle High School student Emily Peck represented Alabama at the National History Day competition, held June 15-19 at the University of Maryland.
More than 700,000 students participated in this year's event. Both Cleveland and Peck had previously won at the state level to advance to the national competition of five categories and two divisions. HJHS teacher Wanda McAbee sponsored both students.
Cleveland's individual exhibit, "National Security at the Expense of Human Rights?," compared the treatment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor to the treatment of Arab Americans after Sept. 11, 2001. His exhibit was named Outstanding Entry of any Category from the State of Alabama Junior Division. He is the son of Craig and Michelle Cleveland.
Peck's entry was a historical research paper, titled "Let Justice Be Done Though the Heavens May Fall," concerning civil rights issues associated with the Scottsboro Boys trials held in Decatur during the 1930s. Her entry placed in the Top Ten National Finalists and was named the Outstanding Entry of any Category from the State of Alabama Senior Division. She is the daughter of Jim and Kim Peck.