Reflections from 2011 - 2012

This project got me to see where my dad came from and who my grandfather really is. This was the first time I ever really sat down with my grandfather and talked about his life. PW

My uncle told me about the conditions and life during the war. He was honest about it too…Sometimes soldiers on both sides have to do things they don’t want to do, like force their children to become soldiers, or kill children who are shooting at them. CG

I’m not going to say that I necessarily enjoyed doing this because it is a lot of work, but I got more out of it than any other project I’ve had to do. PW

The Witness to War project forces the student to do his/her absolute best because it is not just a project that influences the academic grade of the student, but tells the story of a hero. The most important thing is that the veteran’s story be told justly and properly, and that the veteran be honored through the work of the student... That is what motivated me to put my all into it and to make the project as perfect as possible, because I was honoring the veteran, not myself. SP

He told us stories of combat, and it just sounded so intense. It was actually in the moments I was typing the transcript that his words began to have meaning that stuck to me. KC

He looked at me very seriously and said ‘you always want to give anything you do one-hundred-and-ten-percent. If you don’t then you’re stuck with fifty percent of shit.’ And that was the whole thing for me. I didn’t have to prove anything to anybody; I knew what I was capable of. I have heard this expression millions of times, but for some reason when Mike said it, I had an epiphany. My world lit up in that dark room. I said to myself, I don’t care what other people think, especially my peers. AC

Overall, I think that the project was a great success and once you get out the nervousness in the beginning, it’s a blast. TP

What I most got out of this project is that soldiers should be appreciated ten times more than they already are. AS

During Skee’s interview, I realized how important veterans are. After fighting, or possibly dying, it’s important that they’re honored. BT

I also wish that I hadn’t left everything for the last minute. It isn’t hard work it just takes a lot of time and that’s where the wishing I hadn’t waited till last minute comes from. CW

In the past few months, I learned a lot from this project. I learned how to do an interview, write a transcript, do a presentation, and how to manage my time over a long period. I liked this project a lot. Not only did it show me a lot of good qualities, but also I really enjoyed interviewing the veteran and hearing his story. AC

The project included both of us having to work together, make plans, and keep in touch with each other to complete the parts of the project on the due dates. I’ve learned much from this project and so has (my partner). KT

…because of this project, I had to make phone calls and step out of my comfort zone. GP

If I were to do it again, I would have put more time into it and been more careful. I would have read the rubrics more carefully, too. LA

I learned a lot from doing this project. I learned that getting things done ahead of time makes everything less stressful. Also, that when needed, I can really take control. CB

I was able to follow along with what he was talking about. For example, when he spoke of “island hopping” I knew exactly what that meant because we had studied it at school. CJ

There are negatives and positives about this project. Though it was hard, I learned a lot from it. I gained perspective on the Vietnam War from someone who experienced it head-on, and not just a history book writer. TV

I learned that some strongly believe that every one should serve in the military and some think it should be a choice. TB

The Witness to War project is a different kind of project. It’s not the usual project a teacher assigns and everyone does the night before it’s due. In order to do the project, and do well on it, you have to be well organized and you need to plan a lot. DM

I have discovered that for group work, each member of the group has to be responsible towards their work… It was not only a project; it was also a way of learning things. HG

When doing this project you had to draw from everything that you have learned throughout school and put it to use, such as communication and organization. AD

During this project, I learned not only about my veteran, but also about working with a partner and building a website… Though I use the internet practically every single day, I had never made a website before or posted a video. ML

I learned that America lost a lot of soldiers during the Vietnam War that we shouldn’t have lost. KK

I always saw my Grandpa as just another family member. Until now, I hadn’t realized the struggles he went through while in the military. I can now be incredibly proud of my family’s history. To honor and respect veterans has a whole new meaning for me now. HP

Out of this whole experience, I learned that war can really change a person, and I am a terrible planner… RB

When the project was first assigned, it seemed like it was going to the hardest project I’ve ever done. However, once you start to do it, you learn that it is far beyond a project, it’s a learning experience. NJ

In the beginning, I thought this project was pointless and a waste of time…Except surprisingly while doing the interview it was easy going and went by fast. I actually wanted to do another interview because it was so interesting learning about Vietnam from a real veteran…It was the most interesting project I have ever done in my life so far. TW

…it was the website that made me realize the gravity of his life. After compiling his story into a condensed webpage, I really understood his life. I created something that people could look at, and know my veteran. Every time I look at the webpage, I remember everything that Mr. Eldredge said…this is a project that I will never forget and carry with me the rest of my life. AB

The Witness to War project actually did teach me things, and to be honest I thought it was a pointless project at first, but it taught me life lessons...JS

I do feel it is a great way to preserve history, filled with heartfelt emotions and real-life adventures and experiences. Although difficult, I feel it is certainly a worthwhile project to continue into the future. DK

Cal to me had always just been the old man who cut my hair when I was a boy. That all changed throughout the course of this project…The normal guy you knew isn’t always all you thought he was. BK

He went into detail about the sight of thousands of little white crosses on a hillside marking the graves of all the soldiers that had died. At this point, he became emotional and this emotion hit home in a way that no textbook ever could. BD

I feel truly privileged to have done this project. Again, it was difficult and time-consuming, but it was well worth it in the end. NB

The Witness to War project was a challenging, tedious project. In the end, I learned so much from this oral history project. BK

I never thought much of the Air Force and always thought it was just the guys who flew planes in the military. Mr. Strong taught me there was much more to it than just flying planes…If it was not for him and the other men in the Air Force, the Korean War could have been much more catastrophic for Korea and possibly the United States. AS

I also got to hear stories of my grandfather’s past that I would have never heard if it was not for this project. This I am grateful for, as nobody knows how long someone will live…these memories will stay with me forever. SM

Most importantly, I learned about the word veteran… now I know the true definition of a veteran. You can only learn the facts of war from a textbook. But from interviewing Bobby, I learned the emotional side of war as well. EL

I deserve an F in the partner picking section of this project. My advice to future students doing this project is to pick your partner wisely or you may end up writing a passive aggressive, diary entry-like, venting reflection essay. (IW)

From beginning to end this project taught me a lot. It was tedious work, but a project I’ll never forget. TC

For others who will be doing this in future years, my piece of advice is not to procrastinate. RT

All in all, this project was a good learning experience because I now know things that no one ever told me about my Grandpa’s life in the service. SM

I was never able to wrap my head around why anyone would ever want to join the military, but after this project, I think I finally understand. It comes with a great love and pride in one’s country and a want to protect the citizens of one’s country. BW

Having Robert describe his time in the military gave me a much better understanding of what war is like than a textbook or movie could ever do. On a personal level, it was moving to hear about what World War II was like in the Pacific, because my grandfather was there too, but he would never talk about it. ES

Listening to William tell us about being a simple mailman on a ship really made me respect not just the men in hand-to-hand combat, but the people who do the little things. Even if they aren’t seeing the action, they are still contributing in something that they believe strongly in. CB

The Witness to War project taught me many things that I will use later in life and made me a better student. I learned a whole new meaning to the word perseverance, and it taught me more about attention to detail. JN

Before starting the Witness to War project, I only had an idea of WWII from a textbook. Afterwards, I had a thorough understanding of it from a veteran who experienced what it was truly like. My veteran expressed his raw feelings of the war to me. In a textbook, the information is unbiased and bland. Learning from primary sources is far more interesting. CM