Malden High School’s former History Club has amped up their game and has officially become the National History Club. They look forward to uniting as a club to achieve their goals.
The main goal of the National History Club is to bring students and faculty together to affect positive change in the Malden community. The club works to address issues and determine the ways in which to resolve those issues.
Currently the club is working on a few different goals such as lowering the voting age, creating campaign posters, as well as the history essay contests. It has been considering what actions they can take to lower the voting age in Malden since last year. They wish to eventually lower the voting age in Malden to 16 years of age. A draft of the bill is under construction by both the members of the club and the co-advisers, teachers Michelle Filer and Damian Aufiero. If the bill is to be passed it will be “an act allowing citizens 16 years or older to vote in the city of Malden’s elections,” stated Aufiero.
A similar bill regarding the voting age was proposed in Lowell, MA. Aufiero revealed, “It was reported favorably by the committee of Hearing but no action was taken on the bill.” The support on this bill in Lowell gives hope for the National History Club that they will be able to gain the city’s support on this bill so that it may be approved. The development of this bill is not surprising due to the fact that their Aufiero has past experience in writing legislation.
They are also in the process of designing campaign posters for the upcoming presidential election. The posters have the intention to raise awareness to students and faculty as to who the candidates are and what they represent. Another one of their projects underway is their involvement in an essay contest. The contest allows for high school students (grades 9 through 12) to submit an essay to the Gilder Lehrman Institute to have a chance to win big. The two essays are about the Civil War essay and an Age of Revolution essay. The National History Club encourages students to take the time to participate in one of these essays.
First place winners of the Civil War Essay contest will receive $1,000 and $500 for their school along with an all expenses paid trip to New York with 2 guests and their teacher. The top 3 winners will receive larger prizes and then 7 honorable mentions will receive $100 each. The top ten winners of the Age of Revolution Essay Contest will receive $1,000 and $500 for each winner’s school as well.
President of the National History Club is senior Sarah Rosatone who suggested that “history club make an honors level civics class at [MHS].” Rosatone along with the rest of history club believe that “[students] should not be able to opt out of history [during] senior year.” Rosatone questioned as to “how [schools can] send students into the world not knowing about how their government functions.”
The National History Club has many empowering projects underway and will continue to tackle important issues within the community.
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