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Thursday, 23 June 2011 |
100+ World War II Veterans and Civilians Visit Rocky Run Middle School in Virginia
The Latest Generation Meets the Greatest Generation
By 7:30am on June 9th, 2011, it was already clear that this would be no ordinary day at Rocky Run Middle School in Chantilly, Virginia.
There was a buzz in the air as the middle school's band played outside of the school and more than 100 students gathered in the cafeteria for an unusually early start to the day. The students were dressed for the occasion; the girls wore dresses and the boys looked equally sharp in dress shirts and ties. In the parking lot, more than 100 World War 2 veterans (and civilians who had been involved in the war effort) began to arrive at the school to take part in what has become a profoundly moving day-long event: Rocky Run's 10th annual World War 2 Day.
Eventually the buses arrived and unloaded the rest of the students. They too were dressed up, because on this day, a number of classes were cancelled for 7th graders so each could interview, in a small group context, a variety of heroes and first-hand witnesses to history.
Called "The Latest Generation Meets the Greatest Generation," Rocky Run's World War 2 Day has become a highlight of each year at the Fairfax County (VA) public school. For the veterans (and their family members), students, faculty, and visitors who had the opportunity to participate, this event was truly unforgettable. The art below was created by a Rocky Run student to commemorate the day.
Honored by Their Presence. Thankful for Their Willingness to Share Their Stories.
This year's special guests, representing every major theater of conflict in the War, included: a survivor of the Bataan Death March; a survivor of the infamous Auswitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp; numerous veterans who fought in Europe from the Battle of the Bulge to the liberation of Paris and eventually into Germany; veterans who fought in the South Pacific on the ground, aboard ships and in aerial combat; several men who flew combat missions in B-17s and B-24s over Europe; several men who landed and fought at Normandy on D-Day; a spy who served with the Office of Strategic Services--the precursor to today's CIA; a vice-admiral in the Pacific during World War 2; veterans who spent time as Prisoners of War; a number of civilians who contributed heavily to the war effort here at home; several special guests who had experienced the war from the other side, including a survivor who lived just outside of Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped; and many others. See the entire list and remarkable bios of the day's special guests here. The group photo of those who were able to stay through the end of the day below.
As the veterans arrived at the school in the morning, they were greeted on the sidewalk outside the front door by school Principal Matt Eline, by U.S. History Teacher (and friend of the Joe Foss Institute) Jamie Sawatzky—who founded the event—and by a greeting committee of students. This group included current Rocky Run students and several high school students who had come back for the day because this event had made such an impact in their lives in previous years.
The veterans' first stop was in the school cafeteria, where each would be greeted by a student "guide." Each guide was hand-picked by teachers to spend the day with one of the veterans or special guests, and served as an escort to help them find their way from interview to interview. From there, they moved to the school's media center for an incredibly moving Opening Ceremony featuring a Color Guard, several patriotic songs by the school's chorus, and an inspiring student-created video about World War 2 Day (and about the wonderful veterans who had participated over the years). The veterans present were honored for their service as (often unsung) heroes who simply did what needed to be done when our great nation asked them to step up.
Over the course of the next six hours, the men and women who gave so much, so many years ago, stepped up once again.
Interacting With History, in Small Groups...
The heart of the program is found in the small group interviews. During each period of the school day, each veteran met with a different small group of students to share stories, answer questions, and show personal artifacts from the war. (Shown below, Richard Graff, who served in the U.S. Army in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. He brought an authentic Nazi flag with him to show the students during his interviews—it was signed by the guys who were in his unit at the end of the war.)
Students asked questions they had prepared in advance and also questions that came to mind during the interview. The veterans weren't shy about helping the students understand history in a new light as these small group interviews—more than 250 in all over the course of the day—took place in classrooms, in the library, in the cafeteria, and in nearly every corner of the building. When the bell rang to signify a class change, student small groups would rotate to interview a different veteran or civilian.
Veterans shared advice, wisdom, and some very personal stories that at times obviously brought back painful memories and emotions. All over the building, you could find veterans talking about a leader who had influenced him dramatically, about a buddy who died beside him, and about doing the right thing—doing what had to be done—regardless of the danger involved.
"War is hell. Don't let these video games convince you of anything else," Donald Graul shared. Mr. Graul was a paratrooper in the famed 82nd Airborne, and was captured by the Germans after dropping into Normandy as part of the D-Day invasion. He spent the rest of the war as prisoner of war.
Russell O'Connell (pictured below, with his grandson, who served as his guide for the day) was a fighter pilot in Europe during the war who provided fighter air cover during D-Day, and later escorted bombers (mostly in his P-47 Thunderbolt) on bombing missions over Europe. He also served in Korea and Viet Nam. When asked if he was scared when they were shooting at him, he responded, "If anyone is shooting at you, you absolutely should be scared."
Patrick Russell (below, with his son and wife during an interview session with students), served with the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific. He talked with students about responsibility in the midst of danger. "There must have been some fear there, but you couldn't really think about the danger—you had to focus on what had to be done... You had to focus on the mission, and on the task at hand."
A volunteer who was at the event representing the Joe Foss Institute would say later, "I had goosebumps all day long—and sometimes tears in my eyes—as I listened to veterans share their stories with the students."
During lunch, the guests were entertained by music performed by a student string quintet, and by skits and music from talented Rocky Run students who performed World War II era sketches, including Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First?"
...and Through Captivating Keynote Speakers
There were also eight large group presentations made in the school's theater, one during each period of the day. Each presentation was attended by an average of 250 students. The first was a panel discussion on the role of civilians during the war, followed by a tremendous lineup of individual speakers (each of whom spoke for 30 to 45 minutes), including: Thomas Miller, who served with the Marines and was present both at Pearl Harbor and Iwo Jima; Nelly Mudrezow, who, as a young girl lived in the Ukraine under Stalin before escaping to the United States, and who spoke eloquently to the students about the need to appreciate the incredible freedoms we enjoy in America; Donald "Mac" Showers, who played an instrumental role in helping to break the Japanese Naval codes that turned the tide in the war in the South Pacific; Elmer Smith, who served with the U.S. Army Air Force and flew Presidents Roosevelt and then Truman around the United States in what today would be called Air Force One; Charlene Schiff, who, as a young Jewish girl growing up in Poland, escaped when Germany invaded and spent two years living alone in the forests surrounding her hometown; Roger Neighborgall, who was a U.S. Army Ranger who scaled the cliffs of Point-du-Hoc during the D-Day landings and saw action from western France to the liberation of Paris; and Rabbi Laszlo Berkowitz (below), who was deported to the Auswitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp as a teenager and shared his story with the audience.
Highly-respected U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf visited the school during the day, unannounced, and planned to stay for only 20 minutes in the midst of a busy schedule. He was captivated. He stayed for close to an hour, standing quietly as he listened to several veterans share their stories with small groups of students. He then stopped in to the Little Theater to listen to Charlene Schiff's dramatic story—and was clearly moved. "This is truly a remarkable event," he said, before adding "we need to help other schools, not just in my district, but across the country, pull together programs like this."
One 7th grade student who served as a guide for the day said, "it was really inspiring to meet these people who had lived through events and situations that are hard for us to even imagine... it was great to learn about World War II directly from the people who had lived through it." Another student said it was a "really cool day, to hear their stories and to have them spend the day with us so we could just talk with them." One student said, "I got to talk to an Army Ranger who scaled the cliffs of Point-du-Hoc... You just don't get that from a textbook."
At the very end of the day, as the group of veterans gathered for a group photo, an event volunteer commented to the son of one of the veterans, "Thank you for bringing your Dad to be here, I am not sure he can understand the impact that his time here could have in the lives of the students." The son replied, "You're welcome, but you should know that it would be hard to overstate how much this sort of day has also meant to him—he may have gotten more out of it than the students did."
The genius of World War 2 Day at Rocky Run Middle School is revealed in that thought: It is a great day for the students, a great day for the school, a great day for the veterans, a great day for the entire community, and ultimately a great day for America.
The Joe Foss Institute was proud to help sponsor Rocky Run's World War II Day, and their Oral History Club (which records student interviews with veterans and submits them to the Library of Congress), and was honored to have three representatives on hand to participate in different ways. Robert Mason, one of our Veterans Inspiring Patriotism presenters in the D.C. area attended as one of the honored guests who met with students throughout the day.
 Spencer Brand, a JFI Board Member, shared a few words during the Opening Ceremony, and presented a check for $1000, on behalf of the Joe Foss Institute, to Principal Matt Eline and the Rocky Run Middle School (left).
Later, Mr. Brand remarked that the day had been "absolutely extraordinary," and added—without even knowing that Congressman Wolf would later have the exact same feelings—said, "we have to figure out a way to empower more schools to host an event like this."
He went on to say that, while he had heard about the World War 2 Day at Rocky Run, it was hard to comprehend how powerful the day is, and what the spirit is like in this building, until he had the opportunity to actually be there to experience it in person.
Start a World War II Day at Your School
If you are a teacher or school administrator (or veteran), we'd encourage you to consider starting a similar program at a middle school near you. The Rocky Run team started small, ten years ago, with one veteran visiting one class. Eventually that grew to several veterans, and then to 15, and as other classes in the school asked to participate, the event grew.
We will be working closely with the Rocky Run History Department to provide tools and guidance on how you could bring this sort of program to your school.
Finally, check out the story that Washington, D.C.'s Fox affiliate (Fox 5) did on the day. |
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