Two Linkhorne Middle School students brought Lynchburg history to national audiences on June 17, 2026. “From One Pool to a Revolution: Camp Kum-Ba-Yah and the Ripple of Inclusion,” a short documentary by Sydney Huffman and Adalyn Sheaffer, was played at the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Oprah Winfrey Theater in Washington, D.C.
In 1961, Lynchburg closed all its public pools to resist integration. In response, Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center (CKBY) director Bev Cosby opened the camp’s pools to the local community, allowing people of all races to swim together. In their documentary, Huffman and Sheaffer interview CKBY board member and former Lynchburg City Council member Randy Nelson, who gives a firsthand account of the pools’ integration. The ten-minute film reflects on the impact of this important historical moment on its 65th anniversary.
The award-winning documentary was one of just 22 included in the special National History Day showcase, rising above 169 submissions from students across the country. This spring, it won first place in its category at the regional and state-level National History Day competitions.
Lynchburg residents will have the opportunity to view the documentary at the Academy Center of the Arts on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 2-4 p.m. CKBY is hosting a free ticketed community event to celebrate 65 years of integrated pools and honor Huffman and Sheaffer, who are longtime campers. Learn more here.
Photo caption (from left to right): Linkhorne Middle students Sydney Huffman and Adalyn Sheaffer, CKBY Executive Director Kyle Simpson, Linkhorne Middle teacher Tristin Burke, and CKBY board member Randy Nelson.
LMS Students Compete in National History Day Contest
Huffman and Sheaffer aren’t the only students whose work was showcased on a national stage this week. Five Linkhorne Middle School students competed in the 2026 National History Day contest at the University of Maryland from June 14-18 after winning state and regional awards.
The following Linkhorne Middle students qualified for the national competition after winning top awards at the state level:
- Eve Flavin: 1st place, Individual Website. Topic: “Criminal Anarchy and the Red Scare: The Prosecution of Big Jim Larkin”
- Eleanor McAngus and Ace Willis, Linkhorne Middle: 2nd place, Group Website. Topic: “Taking a Seat, Taking a Stand: Revolution at Patterson Drug Store in Lynchburg, Virginia”
- Sydney Huffman and Adalyn Sheaffer, Linkhorne Middle: 1st place, Group Documentary. Topic: “From One Pool to a Revolution: Camp Kum-Ba-Yah and the Ripple of Inclusion”
Each of these students spent months researching historical topics of interest and presenting their findings through creative approaches and various media. These interdisciplinary research projects helped students develop critical thinking and literacy skills while connecting with historical events and concepts. This year’s theme was “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.”
