STUDENTS COMPETE AT NATIONAL HISTORY DAY EVENT

After traveling across the country to display their History Day exhibit, Pat and Beth DesPres were chosen guest speakers at the Noon Optimist Club's August meeting.

The St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School students entered a History Day competition in April. Their project, "Saving the Buffalo River," won first place at competition in Cape Girardeau and second place at the state competition in April.

The Noon Optimist Club helped fund their trip to the University of Maryland for the national competition. The project was also on display at the Capitol in Jefferson City in August.

Plans are being made to make a permanent display at headquarters for the Buffalo National River at Harrison, Ark. The river was the first to be named a national river. The project may also be displayed temporarily at the Tyler Bend Visitor Center on the Buffalo River.

Pat is an eighth-grader and Beth a sixth-grader at St. Vincent.