The realness of speaking face-to-face with an actual hero of war and the privilege of having them pass their experiences on to me has, by far, gone further than any textbook can and ever will. CK

Heroes are people like John, who devote their lives and time to their country and the people they care about. BE

Even sixty years later, the whole event was as fresh in his mind as if it had occurred just last week. I was amazed at the impact it had on his life. As such, I was impacted too. I had never before seen such dedication to a purpose as dangerous as this. …It is this level of sense of duty that completely bowled me over. The experience truly changed my views on war. HF

Getting to see these veterans today makes me feel like I’m taking my way of living for granted. BC

If I could go back and do this again I would. It taught me not to judge people without knowing them. JR

From my grandfather I have learned that you can’t ever forget the past because it built the base of the nation we live in today. …(the project) has taught me to be mindful of the pain and suffering our soldiers go through each day, and what little we do to show them the respect they deserve. LF

I have learned how to work with a veteran and from there carry out an interview with them. Also, things such as how to produce a flawless presentation and work well with a group were key things I will be taking away from the Witness to War project. AR

After getting to see the way of life these veterans go through, it makes me feel like my life is too easy. MM

This project is one that lets students really hear firsthand what different wars were like. It gives you more feeling and better understanding than any textbook could ever get you. ZH

Even with Mr. McNamara’s warning; “Don’t pair with friends, it never works out!” ...we did anyway. We thought that didn’t apply to us, but it did. LL

The Witness to War project to me was fun in some ways and annoying as well as boring in others. AN

I have learned that I can learn to work with a partner…effectively. SP

The Witness to War project has probably been the most intense, and in-depth project I have every done. …This project has taught me so much, including social, management, and organization skills. As tedious as it may have been, I reflect now and see that it really was fun and worth the blood, sweat, and tears.

I learned that if you plan ahead, things tend to go more smoothly and are less stressful. CK

The Witness to War was a long and intense project, but overall it let me learn from my mistakes. I now believe I have obtained skills from this to do better in upcoming projects. SH

The transcript was the most aggravating thing that I have ever done! I hated it. …Even though I have gotten very mad about certain things within this project, I got to meet a very nice man. Also, I’ll have a story to tell to generations, and an interview to prove it. LH

I never really get to see or talk to my Dad too much because he is in the military and stationed in Germany. By doing this project with him, I think that it brought us closer. ... I really feel like I got to know my Dad better. I feel like I’ve never had a real conversation with him before and this interview gave us something to talk about. KH

I advise all who do this project to choose a partner that you are not that close with, because tempers can flare and emotions rise. …All in all, leaving this project has turned me into a better student at NRHS and a better person overall. CM\

The Witness to War project was a very different kind of project for me. It wasn’t just an essay or a biography. It wasn’t just an interview. It also wasn’t something I did by myself. This was a learning experience in planning, preparing, getting organized, public speaking, working with a partner, and dealing with problems ranging from technical difficulties with equipment to coordinating schedules with my partner to meet and work. CG

This project was hard. ZK

I have learned how to conduct a good interview and a little about the Korean War, which is not talked about much and is known as the Forgotten War. CB

The biggest feeling of satisfaction I will receive from doing this project is being able to go through the life of a veteran and being able to appreciate my lifestyle even more. ZM

The Witness to War project is a life-changing experience and should be a part of every high school history class. …This project made me want to talk to other veterans and learn their stories. NC

I learned a great deal about war; its horrors and what you must do for your country at times. …I also learned how to properly dress for a formal presentation. AL

The Witness to War project has been the most beneficial and educational project I have ever done. I have learned so much from this project, from the interview itself, to the transcript, to the presentation. I have gained so much knowledge about life skills and war experiences. EF

In the Witness to War project I learned a lot about my veteran, and working with partners. JM

Picking a partner is the most important part of this project. DG

I had never done an interview before, so it was quite a new experience for me. I had to learn how use a video camera, which I had never done before. I had to come up with interview questions, learn how to write a transcript, and act professionally. …This project was a great learning experience for me. VP

Another skill that has been fine-tuned is my ability to plan and execute multiple papers. This project has shown me what needs to be done in order to turn in big projects on time. LM

I learned that I tend to wait to do things at the last minute, and when I actually do them with plenty of time to spare, I have more room to edit. I didn’t wait until the last minute to do this project and that is why it is one of my better works in Western Civilization II. KM

This project gave me a special perspective about the war and the war effort. …(Our veteran) showed us war in a gruesome way that textbooks only wish they could explain. He told us everything from food to guns to smells and death. LS

This project has taught me that with hard work many things can be achieved and that veterans should always be remembered for the incredible things they have done for our country. I have also learned that real war cannot be taught through a book with statistics and names of battles, but with real life people who have lived through them and seen the deadliness. AK

This project was very detailed, time consuming, and interesting. I liked this project a lot and am looking forward to seeing it online and having our veteran see it too. AR

Participating in and completing the Witness to War project has changed my views towards war forever. …This project not only clarified the seriousness of war, but went into the aspects of war that you can’t get from a book or television. …The expression of Richard’s face and the tone of his voice when he spoke of the smell of death and sound of artillery was indescribable. …I have never been so interested and eager to work on a project until this one. CB