Decorah residents are among those at the National History Day competition in Maryland

The national finals of the National History Day are getting underway at the University of Maryland, bringing together nearly 3,000 students for the competition--including four from Decorah.

Decorah Middle School student Ada Lovelace is competing with her performance, "Edith Eger: The Ballet Dancer Who Survived the Holocaust."  Another Decorah Middle School student, Sophia Gallentine, is showcasing documentary "Mary McLeod Bethune: Educator and Matriarch." St. Benedict School student Alex Kane will compete with her performance work, "Triumph after Tragedy: Frances Perkins and the New Deal."  Fellow St. Benedict School student Justin Berlage will compete with a paper titled, "Triumph and Tragedy: Penicillin's Discovery and Repercussions."

All four were among 67 national qualifiers from the state of Iowa selected from a field of about 600 students who competed in the state National History Day contest.  The National History Day program includes a Junior Division (grades 6-8), Senior Division (grades 9-12), and a non-competitive Youth Division (grades 4-5).