Popular club finds joy in all things historical

Students at Memorial with a special love of history are in luck!  The National History Honors Society (NHHS), a very active club on campus, explores history outside of the classroom through fun activities such as Cinema Nights, field trips and History Jeopardy tournaments.

"This club was founded by two students from the Class of 2019, Elliott Nerenberg and Kayvon Sadeghi, in the fall of 2017,” said faculty member Ed Borges “and then affiliated itself with the national organization, The National History Club.  In its first full year of 2019-2020, NHHS had 70+ active members and this year the club has 60+ active members.” 

 The purpose of the club is to promote the study and interest in all things historical. NHHS sponsors  Cinema Nights six to seven times per year where historically themed movies are screened. “Attendance is excellent; anywhere between 35 and 50 members attend each Cinema Night,” according to Borges. “Such movies as Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Elizabeth, Twelve Years a Slave, 3 Hours, and Dr. Zhivago have been shown in the last two and one half years.”

Each semester, the club also sponsors a field trip. Club members have visited the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles,  the World War II aircraft carrier USS Hornet in Alameda,  the Civil War Reenactment in Kearney Park in Fresno, the California Railroad Museum and Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento last December, and in February they are traveling to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

 “Last year the club held a three day History Jeopardy tournament after Easter vacation in the Media Center and are doing so again in April,” Borges said. “And as a wrap up of the year’s activities, the club conducts a senior awards ceremony in May which honors all the seniors who have been active members for at least two years.” 

Borges added, “It’s exciting for me as a teacher to see so many students showing an interest in history outside the classroom.  I think it’s a great thing!”