A group of Trimpe Middle School 8th graders from Bethalto under the leadership of Leslie Rice and Diane Waldo interviewed 8 WWII veterans this school year. The veterans were all local and served from the South Pacific to the Normandy Invasion.
The 8th graders recorded and edited their interviews of the veterans. The raw footage is being sent to the Library of Congress for inclusion in their Veterans History Project. The completed videos are then posted on the Illinois WWII Veterans Classroom Project site at: http://wwii.ltc.k12.il.us.
There are currently 13 schools across the state participating in this project. These schools have published over 120 interviews during the past 2 years. This is the 2nd year for the project and Trimpe's first year to participate.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
After the completion of the interviewing and editing process, a reception was held for the WWII veterans and their spouses. At the reception a 45 minute compilation video was shown which told the stories of all 8 veterans through their own words. Refreshments were served and the participating students and veterans had a chance to share reflections on the project. The students gained knowledge of the importance of the sacrifices of these veterans through their first hand accounts.
Trimpe is planning to participate again in this project and are soliciting stories of veterans who served in WWII. If you are willing to share your story, please contact Diane Waldo or Leslie Rice at Trimpe Middle School beginning August 18th at 377-7240.
