PORT ORCHARD — An impressive 47 students, the most ever from South Kitsap School District, will participate in the State History Day Contest at Central Washington University in Ellensburg on May 4.

The Quest students from South Kitsap advanced from the regional competition March 18 at Olympic College. The students will compete for a place in the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland.

This year, the History Day theme is “Triumph and Tragedy.”

National History Day is an academic program focused on historical research, interpretation and creative expression. Many of the students will become writers, filmmakers, web designers, playwrights and artists. An independent study found that participation in the National History Day not only transports classrooms back in time during the school year, said district spokeswoman Amy Miller, but the event also helps transform young minds.

Regional winners (in individual and team competition) were:

South Kitsap High School: Jaykub Rafael.

Cedar Heights Middle School: Gaby Coleman, Jenna Schmidt, Jordan Bartlett and Victoria Scarpato; Zoe White; Alex Hatton and Alejandro Mier; Liana Johnson; Elissa Hong and Jolan Shaw; Jeremiah Rendon, Aavry Andrews and Ethan Destrada; and Brian Mears, James Ross, Peyton Lohre and Tristen Uranga.

John Sedgwick Middle School: Preston Collins, Braden Gunyan and Aiden Haro; Odessa Cook; Kate Sherwood; Calie Coyle and Alyssa Watkins; Dannen Oliver; Mara Lenza; Ellie Nucci and Sarah Hitchens; Liam Johnston; Skylar Moar and Madeline Wheeler; Rylee Filbert; Hailey King; Pasha McPherson; Reagan Kelly and Haylee Cox; Hailey Gunyan; Katherine Kowalski and Camille Swanson.

Marcus Whitman Middle School: Parker Medina; Kinsey St. Amand, Isabel Davis and Riley Miller O’Hair; Noelle DeCrona; Charlli Eddy and Sophie Roberts; and Madeline Robison.