Washington, D.C.
Jan 12, 2016
The story of a fallen North Carolina World War II veteran will come to life thanks to the efforts of teacher Lou Ann Rives and student Joseph Chong of Charlotte. They were one of 15 student and teacher teams selected from across the country to tell the story of a fallen WWII hero as part of the "Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom Albert H. Small Student & Teacher Institute."
For this educational journey each team selects a Silent Hero who gave his or her life in WWII during or after the Normandy landings of D-Day and who is memorialized at the Normandy American Cemetery. Teams spend a year researching the Silent Hero's story using historical primary sources such as war records, draft cards and interviews with family members. The year concludes in France where Chong will present a eulogy at the Memorial of the Silent Hero overlooking Omaha Beach.
Lou Ann Rives is a social studies teacher and National History Day sponsor at Jay M. Robinson Middle School in Charlotte. Joseph Chong, her former student, currently is a sophomore at Providence High School. Chong participated in National History Day several times, often competing in the national contest in Washington, D.C.
In June, Rives and Chong will join the other 14 teams in Washington, D.C. to finish research with help from the National Archives, historians and college professors. While there they will tour the World War II Memorial, attend a dinner hosted by the White House Historical Association and prepare for the voyage of a lifetime.
In Normandy they will walk in the footsteps of their Silent Hero and visit museums, historic sites, churches that were used as field hospitals, and the Normandy American Cemetery with the group. Chong will present the eulogy of the Silent Hero he has researched for a year. Program participants are responsible for travel costs to and from Washington, D.C. only. Travel to France, meals, board and other costs are paid by the Institute.
"Throughout their research these students and teachers become deeply connected to their Silent Heroes," says National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. "When Joseph presents the eulogy, he will be reading a eulogy for someone he knows, someone whose story he is responsible for telling. It results in a powerful, and often tearful, understanding of the sacrifice Joseph's Silent Hero made in WW II."
The "Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom Albert H. Small Student and Teacher Institute" teaches a new generation about the sacrifices and challenges faced during the war. The program is coordinated by National History Day and funded by a generous donation from Albert H. Small, himself a veteran.
Additionally, students and teachers create a website to document the story of their Silent Hero. The websites endure as digital memorials to the brave men who are memorialized at the Normandy American Cemetery. They also present the story of their Silent Hero to schools, community groups and veteran's organizations after the program ends.
To date, the "Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom Albert H. Small Student & Teacher Institute" has told the stories of 80 Silent Heroes and student-teacher teams this year will add 15 more.
For additional information please call (919) 807-7284. National History Day in North Carolina is administered by the Office of Archives and History in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with major support from the North Caroliniana Society, the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Federation of N.C. Historical Societies.