The Uniting the States Fair spanned the country from Alaska to Florida, the New England states to Hawaii.
Three dozen TEACH Homeschool group students in elementary through high school grades presented information on a state of their choosing during the second annual fair. Held Thursday evening at the Bible Baptist Church, the event featured reports on about 25 states, with props including costumes, food, drawings, a volcano, maps and photographs.
While preparing their in-depth, multi-media reports, students picked a state based on everything from interest or a personal connection to recent travel or desire to go there one day.
For sports fan Anna O'Hara, Massachusetts topped her list because it is the home of both volleyball and basketball — her two favorite sports.
"I learned a lot about history, I love history,” said O'Hara, a seventh grader whose offering of chocolate chip cookies, another Bay State invention, disappeared quickly.
For years, TEACH students have gather for an Around the World Fair in early March, with each student or group of students researching a country. That popular event sparked one mom to expand the concept to include the United States. Last year the first Uniting the States fair packed the church's basement with enthusiastic students and their families.
"The inspiration was probably that I wanted them to learn about areas closer to home,” said Ramona Cotton, a homeschooling mom who helped found and organize the event. "I think a lot of time, with the Around the World Fair, we research about a different country and their culture. But here you get to know the differences even in the United States.”
"It's neat to see how everybody has their own idea of how to present something,” she added.
The team of Michaela Scott, a fifth/sixth grader, and Annalisa Wiesner, a fifth grader, chose Rhode Island because they wanted to delve into an East Coast state. They discovered that, among other things, the smallest state is known for some large fish: a tuna caught off the coast can weigh 1,000 pounds — netting 20,000 tuna fish sandwiches per fish.
"It's a good way to learn about stuff you didn't know,” said Scott. "Everybody knows a little bit about each state but we're just kind of digging a little bit deeper.”
Kayla and Kelsey Cragg, seventh and fifth graders respectively, worked together on a report about Tennessee, inspired by an extended family vacation there last spring.
"We had a full itinerary, we went to a lot of Civil War battlefields,” noted Kayla, adding of checking out other state displays at the fair: "It's cool to see what's in common with your state”
High school senior Kaycie Susan, a veteran of four Around the World Fairs, reported on Wyoming last week for her second and final Uniting the States Fair. In addition to her costume, a buffalo skin and skull, extensive poster board display and food samples, she explored her state into greater depth than younger attendees. Part of her assignment included completing a five-page single-spaced research paper, including a bibliography and an outline.
"The state fairs are fun because I've actually been there but the Around the World Fair is fun because the cultures are so different,” she reflected, noting that last year she reported on South Carolina for the states fair. "For me, I always love the history so whatever I do, I'm liking the history of it.”