Staples High School sophomore Kayla Sirlin, 15, today shows off her joint National History Day project (completed with fellow sophomore Paige Anderson, 16) at the Westport Library. Called “A (Snap) Shot in the Dark,” it features Westport award-winning photographer Lynsey Addario, a 1991 Staples graduate, and Jacob Riis, a photographer, writer, and social reformer (1849–1914) who used his camera to spotlight harsh New York City tenement conditions. The project won a gold star in the competition and will advance to the regional National History Day competition at Sacred Heart University in March. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Muhammad Ali, the professional boxer and activist who died last June, was the theme of a Staples High School National History Day project displayed today at the Westport Library. Called “Muhammad Ali: Fighting More Than Just His Opponent,” it was created by sophomores (l-r)  Zach Strober, 15, Austin Sholes, 16, and Jack Nealon, 15. Entries were judged by volunteers and ranked for possible submission to the regional National History Day competition in June. Lauren Frances, the schools’ 6-12 social studies coordinator, said about 200 Staples students participated in the event. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Westport Historical Society board members Michaela McColl (l) and Stacey Danielson were among the 12 judges today who judged entries in the “Taking a Stand: Westport Celebrates National History Day 2017” competition among Staples High School U.S. history students at the Westport Library. Judges ranked each exhibit with gold, silver, or bronze stars as students sought feedback for entry into the National History Day regional competition in March. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from today’s “Taking a Stand: Westport Celebrates National History Day 2017” event at the Westport Library displaying Staples High School U.S. history students’ projects for the National History Day regional competition in March. Lauren Francese, school social studies coordinatior, said the regional organizers were “overwhelmed” by the prospect of so many Staples entries that the school decided to hold today’s event to provide feedback to students on their efforts. In addition to the exhibits, some students developed websites, made documentary films or put on performances. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com and WestportNow.com photos

Staples High School students are set to show they know a lot about history — both the national and regional kind.

On Saturday, the Westport Library will host 10th grade U.S. history honors students for “Westport Celebrates History Day: Taking a Stand” as they work on their projects for the annual National History Day competition.

The annual competition includes regional (Fairfield County), state, and national contests that enable students to showcase in-depth research on local, regional, or national issues.

The library event from 9 a.m. to noon will allow the students to present first drafts of their work, receive feedback from local judges, and leverage that feedback to prepare for the first round of competition at Sacred Heart University in March, an announcement said.

Staples High School Senior Sarah Barnett and Junior Charlie Colasurdo (r. top and bottom) were chosen to represent the United States at the recent International Science Youth Forum in Singapore. They were two of six students from across the country chosen to take part in the weeklong forum, featuring workshops with Nobel laureates and eminent scientists. Science teacher Karen Thompson accompanied the students. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Megan Laney, 25, a 2009 Staples High School graduate, tonight told a Staples student meeting of her love for Syria that she found after attending university there in 2011. “The hardest day for me was when we were evacuated out of Aleppo University, and I had to leave all of my friends and return to a town as great as Westport while they had to stay,” she told students, some in tears. Days after her evacuation in 2011, she said her university was bombed and many of her friends perished. The program organized by students seeking to aid Syria will be repeated Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Staples library. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jaime Bairaktaris for WestportNow.com

Staples High School students tonight explained to fellow students and community members the importance of aid to Syrian at a presentation in the Staples library about their new initiative, “Change for Syria.” The event included a student-made documentary, a raffle with gifts from Saugatuck Sweets, Sakura, and others, and a talk given by a locally residing Syrian refugee. To date, they have raised almost $2,000 for Syrian refugees. All donations go to the nonprofit organization NuDay Syria. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jaime Bairaktaris for WestportNow.com