On Wednesday, Jan. 7, Friday, Jan. 9 and Tuesday, Jan.13, Poly hosted the second annual AP U.S. History Research Symposium in the Upper School Library. The event transformed the campus into a hub of intellectual energy as juniors presented their historical research under the theme, “When has power been contested, renegotiated, or reinforced?” to community members.

The symposium, held a month after the juniors had completed their research papers, offered students the chance to step into the role of historians, posing questions, analyzing sources and defending their interpretations before a live audience of students, faculty and staff.

The symposium featured a wide range of topics that reflected both the diversity of American history and each student’s individual interests. Presentations explored topics such as Asian American Exclusion in the NBA and Surf Territorialism as Hawaiian Cultural Defense. Rather than simply recounting historical events, presenters framed their research around compelling questions and used supporting evidence to curate their arguments.

“To me, presenting the papers at the symposium not only gives an explanation of our research, but a window into us as students, authors, and creators,” stated junior Naomi Diehl.

“This was a really rewarding experience. Putting together their talk helps students think about their topic in a different way and think through what their argument is,” shared AP U.S. History teacher Avi McClelland-Cohen.

For many juniors, the symposium marks the culmination of a demanding research journey. For others, it sparks an engagement with historical inquiry, one that will continue to shape the way they understand the world around them.

Junior Elizabeth Huang remarked, “I think the process of the APUSH research paper, both in terms of writing and presenting my work to the community, pushed me to think about events more critically and truly get to the root of an issue.”