Service Learning project documents history

According to the Veterans Affairs website, more than 1,000 veterans die every day in the United States.

Through a Service Learning project, history students recently had the chance to interview local veterans and document a part of history that might be gone soon.

"The youngest [veteran] that could have served in World War II is 84 now," history professor Michael Noble said. "And even the veterans that served in Vietnam are in their 60s and 70s."

Students in Noble's and Dr. Jerry Henson's History 1302 classes experienced a living history lesson this semester when they visited C.C. Young Retirement Community in Dallas. Students interviewed men and women who lived through some of our country's most trying times, including World War II, The Great Depression and the Vietnam War.

"The students were put into groups, and C.C. Young set everything up for them," Noble said.  "Some of the residents took the interview in the direction they wanted. Some talked about their [military] service, and others just talked about growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s in Dallas."

At a Service Learning presentation about the project on Dec. 1, Ryan Washington spoke about his experience interviewing Howard Riggs, who joined the Navy at age 17. He learned how Riggs had to live with civilians before the military base was set up, how the John F. Kennedy assassination affected him and personal things like how he has never made a car payment.

"We learned a lot from this project," Washington said. "We learned more about events that we studied in class like the Kennedy assassination and World War II. We actually got to see their emotions on how they felt at that direct moment."

Noble said the project was successful and was a good way for students to connect with what they were learning in the classroom.  

Student feedback about the experience has been positive, so Henson said this will be an ongoing project for his and Noble's history classes.

"I've had three students tell me that after doing these interviews, they're going to go interview their grandparents," Henson said.

Brittany Sherman, a psychology major, was one of those students.

"My grandparents live close by, so after our interview with [Margaret Spearman, a resident at C.C. Young], I ended up talking to my grandfather and grandmother about the Vietnam War," Sherman said.

While interviewing Spearman, Sherman and her class partner, Abby Jenkins, learned a great deal about the 92-year-old resident's life. They discovered that her husband was away for three years during World War II and that she maintained a positive outlook on life even though she had very little growing up.

"It helped to put a face and name to history," Jenkins said.

The Service Learning program gives students the chance to earn volunteer hours, get involved with the community and put into practice what they are learning in class.  Service Saturdays have been set throughout the semester to work on different projects.

 "Service Saturdays is just one small component to get students involved," said Theresa Sternat, director of the Learning Assistance Center and coordinator of Service Learning. "And it's not about just the volunteer work. It's about a long-term project and the partnership."

The Treats for Troops event on Dec. 3 had a strong turnout, with more than 60 student-athletes, coaches and employees packing 15 boxes to send to 150 soldiers stationed overseas.

Most Service Saturdays haven't been well attended. The Sept. 24 event with Keep Mesquite Beautiful drew only six volunteers to clean up the surrounding neighborhood close to campus.

Interim Director of Student Life Judy Schwartz, who has been helping coordinate the weekend projects, believes faculty need to help get students interested in Service Learning.

"I would love for faculty to get more involved," Schwartz said.  "I think that's the key. Faculty need to work with the students to see the connection, because sometimes they don't see [the objective]."

Despite the low turnout, Service Learning opportunities will be available next semester and students are encouraged to get involved.

"We will be doing some Service Saturdays, but we're open to Thursday nights if the students want to do that," Schwartz said. "We want to make sure there is a staff person connected because that's what it's all about, building those connections."