CSA New Tech students Asher Lamb and Spencer Campbell, left, along with Lois Steele, listen as veteran Rodney Steele discusses his service.
“I’ve always wanted his stories out of his head.”
That’s how CSA New Tech teacher Joe Steele felt for the longest time about his father, Rodney, a quiet Vietnam War veteran who didn’t speak of his service.
But now, his father’s stories — along with those of other veterans — are being uncovered, thanks to a project thought up by Steele and fellow New Tech teacher Hope Alexander. The two educators lead a course together called “American Heritage” at the high school. As part of the class, students have been tasked with interviewing local veterans about their experiences, which will then be incorporated in the school’s first-ever Veterans Day program.
In September and October, students studied World Wars I and II as a separate project, as many of the veterans from these wars are no longer alive, said Alexander. During the current unit, students have studied Cold War conflicts, the Persian Gulf War, the war in Iraq and and the war in Afghanistan. They’ve also studied documents from the Library of Congress’s Veterans History Project and read “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien to help prepare them for their interviews.
Steele’s father was among those interviewed for the project.
“So far, the interviews seem to be going well,” said Alexander. “I think the kids like them a lot, and I think the veterans are enjoying them.”
Students also heard from decorated veteran Tanner Archibald, who visited their class in late October.
“Tanner is a 2001 graduate of Columbus North, served a tour of Iraq from 2006-2007, where he earned the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Iraqi Service Campaign Medal, among other commendations,” the school shared in a social media post about the visit. “Tanner also survived an IED (improvised explosive device) attack on June 14th, 2007, which killed three of his fellow servicemen.”
Archibald spoke to students about joining the military, his time in Iraq and his experience following the IED attack, said Alexander.
Steele said he did a great job relating to the students and sharing the reality of his service, such as how it differed from his expectations and the lessons he took away from it.
“He doesn’t regret his service at all; it’s made him who he is,” said Steele. “Yet he did go through and still continues to suffer from PTSD, and he was just so open and honest with them.”
Archibald’s story, along with others collected by students, will be featured in a presentation during the school’s Veterans Day program. The one-hour program will also include a color guard and flag progression organized by Commander Alan McKown with American Legion Post 24, an address from veteran Bob Hempstead (whose granddaughter, Tara Schuler, is a New Tech student), and a moment of silence at 11 a.m. in remembrance of the armistice that ended World War I.
“We just said, ‘We want a Veterans Day event,’ to the kids, ‘but we have no idea what you do during a Veterans Day event,” said Steele. “So we’ve kind of laid it on them, the students, to brainstorm, talk to their veterans, and figure out what our event should kind of entail.”
The veterans who have spoken with students are invited to attend the Veterans Day program and will be asked to stand when their story is told.
However, while the veterans — along with their friends and family — have been invited to attend the program, it will be largely closed to the public. Steele said that post-COVID, the school still isn’t seeing as many visitors. However, there are plans to livestream the event on YouTube, and all New Tech students will be in attendance.
“A lot of the veterans are people that the students are related to or have connections with,” said Alexander. “They have that established relationship, and hopefully that makes the veterans a little more comfortable sharing their stories and being a part of the event.”
They may open the event up more next year, said Steele.
In discussing the project, he noted that he’s not sure whether it will encourage or discourage students from future military service. Still, he and Alexander feel there is a need to preserve the stories of aging veterans.
“Ten years ago, in American Heritage, they did a project with YES Cinema where they created a documentary with World War II veterans,” said Alexander. “And so this is almost, now, going into the next generation of Vietnam and Korea veterans who are starting to age out and get older. So we’re trying to collect those stories.”
The stories teach students about the sacrifices made by veterans, who is affected by wars, and who tells the story of history, she added.
“My father is such a powerful, strong man, but whatever he experienced in Vietnam changed him, humbled him,” said Steele. “I just want the kids to have a window into that, what that generation had to experience. And you can only get it from a primary source. It can only happen through these conversations; it’s not through a documentary or a textbook.”
