The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- A Kirksville Middle School student is heading to Baltimore, Maryland  to compete in the National History Day Contest.

Sixth grader Miles Krusniak began working on his National History Day project as part of his curriculum in the gifted program. He will use a website he created entitled "AC v. DC- The Current War" to compete in the national contest.  The website is a compilation of information, videos, a timeline, and pictures that detail the controversy over who created our modern day electric system.

Krusniak placed second at the state competition and said he never thought he'd get this far.

"I thought that this year would just be kind of a fast run so that next year maybe I'd be able to get to state maybe," said Krusniak.  "So, it's a pretty big accomplishment for me. I feel very excited and I think it'll be very educational and fun."

Krusniak said he has learned life skills while working on the project.

"The one thing I've learned from this project that I can apply to something else would be how to accept criticism.  I've had a lot of criticism on my project and I figured out how to take that and use it."

His advisor, Kirksville Instructor of Gifted Students Susan Hazen, said she could not be more proud of her student.  

"I'm incredibly excited for Miles," said Hazen.  "I feel like he's a very deserving student. He's a hard worker. He really rose to the challenges, worked independently very well on his website, and he's continued to grow and change his website and it's just very impressive what he's been able to do."

Hazen said this is the fourth consecutive year that one of her students will compete in the National History Day Contest.

The contest is being held at the University of Maryland at College Park June 10-14. Krusniak said he will travel there on Amtrak with his family, and stay in the dorms at the university. The Kirksville R-3 School Board and Kirksville Middle School have donated $600 towards the trip. Krusniak is looking for others sponsors to help pay for the rest of the expenses, which amount to $1,500-$2,000, said Hazen.

 For more information, contact Susan Hazen at  Susan_H@kirksville.k12.mo.us.