Izagani Aquino, 8th grade student at Sinaloa Middle School, had a busy summer! After qualifying at the Northern California History Bee Regional Championships in San Jose, he then placed in the top half of his division at the National History Bee in Chicago. This qualified him to compete in the International History Olympiad held at the University of Hawaii last summer.
At the International History Olympiad, Izagani competed with a group of 7 other middle school students from around California. Team California brought home 14 medals with Izagani taking first place for Pop Music History (MS).
The National History Bee is a social studies competition for students who love learning, competing and having fun. The International History Olympiad is a highly competitive academic event that brings together the most elite history students from around the world for a week of competitions and learning. Superintendent Jim Hogeboom recognized him for his accomplishments at the September 20, 2016, Board meeting.
Izagani is a brilliant young man who is extremely kind and creative yet humble, and has always had a passionate interest in history. He commented, “History is great. It’s like a storybook that never ends and you can be a part of it.” Izagani enjoyed the overall experience but especially loved meeting students from around the world. Already looking ahead two years from now, he hopes to qualify for the next International Olympiad in Berlin.