Student presents history project in national competition after regional, state wins

Lebanon High School Sophomore Aaliyah Kim will be showcasing her history project at National History Day’s national competition in June. This final stage comes after winning both her regional and state competitions for her paper on HeLa Cells and Henrietta Lacks. “It’s about the first immortal cell line, called HeLa, and it’s about the woman who the cells were taken from, Henrietta Lacks,” Kim said. “And then all the advancements that followed the discovery, and all the controversy that also followed the discovery.” After learning History Day’s 2024 theme, “Turning Points in History,” found on NHD’s website, Kim reflected on past school lessons before deciding to research stem cells. For more on this story, see Wednesday's LCR.