On Wednesday, November 18, thirty-six 8th grade
students traveled to the Heinz History Center for the annual Veterans
Experience Workshop.
These students spent the school day with local veterans who
shared their personal stories of service in our nation’s military.
Students earned eligibility for this field trip by completing an essay and
creating questions for the veterans.
While at the History Center, students first toured the “World
War II – We Can Do It!” exhibit with local Vietnam War veterans and History
Center volunteers Larry Woods and Jack Sheehan.
Later, students rotated through four stations, each featuring a
veteran from a different war. Students listened to first-hand
testimonials, examined primary source artifacts, and asked questions to
veterans from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Each
student left the experience with detailed notes about the lives and stories of
the veterans. Students are encouraged to share these testimonials in
print, online, or with family and friends.
In addition, the students participated in a panel discussion
with all of the veterans where they discussed topics such as following orders
in the military, the difficulty in returning home after combat, changes in
communication technology, and their favorite memory from their time
overseas. Students took detailed notes from all of the veterans’ stories
and were encouraged to share them with others in the future.
Thanks again to veterans Walter Patton (World War II), Dave
Borland (Korea), Gordon Lam (Vietnam), and Cynthia Davis (Vietnam) for spending
the day with our students.
