Since 1990, the William E. Sheedy Memorial History Contest has honed the research skills of Middletown’s eight-year-olds, who study town history as part of their third-grade curriculum. Each spring the competition invites students to research the life of an ancestor and report their findings in an essay, video or format of their choosing. The result: an annual outpouring of 125 or more wonderful portraits of beloved grandparents, quirky aunts and uncles, and accomplished forebears from a more distant past. 

The finished reports reveal an inquisitive spirit worthy of any historian. The students use primary and secondary sources and a variety of research techniques to create their depictions. They interview family members, dig up old newspaper clippings, and unearth photographs and documents to explore the connections between a loved one’s life and the era he or she lived in.

Each year the entries represent an impressive variety of cultures and experiences, from immigration in the early 20th century to American life during the depression to Colonial-era values. Many, too, reveal with humor and poignancy the significance of good deeds and the importance of family. While many students benefit from the contest through their discovery of remarkable accomplishments, unusual talents or acts of courage, it is often the values and words of wisdom quietly passed on that make the biggest impression.

The 2004 winners of the William E. Sheedy Memorial History Contest.

As one third grader wrote in her winning report about her grandfather, a musician and candy-maker, he “taught me that you have to work hard in your life and that your family is the most important accomplishment you can have -- but a little music and candy in your day can help.”

Each year, the winning historians are presented with a $50 U.S. Savings Bond, and all entrants receive a certificate of participation and a special pencil. In addition, a copy of each winning report is added to the Historical Society’s collection, expanding its archives and knowledge about the citizens of Middletown and their forebears.

The William E. Sheedy Memorial History Contest was established by friends of the late William Sheedy, who served for many years as the Historical Society’s treasurer. The contest is open to all Middletown public and private school third graders and is administered through the schools.

• Kids--learn more
• Parents--learn more
• Teachers--learn more
• Contest Rules