1)
DECIDE WHO TO ADOPT.
This may
be the most DIFFICULT part. Though there are
so few of them, each has special and unique
characteristics that makes it hard to choose one
over another. Some helpful ideas:
-
Choose a
Medal of Honor recipient that lives in your own
state, or who's Medal of Honor is accredited to
your state but who may now be living elsewhere.
-
Find a
recipient from an era you are currently studying
(World War II, Korea, or Vietnam).
-
Divide
the class into smaller groups, each group
responsible to read several citations and
prepare a report for the entire class.
Make it a project for each group to report to
the class WHY their selected recipient would
make a good choice, then have the class vote on
which recipient to adopt.
2)
LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE RECIPIENT.
Before your first
contact, learn what you can about the hero you wish
your class to adopt. You can download his
citation from our (or other) websites. I would
encourage classes to make a copy for each child in
the class. Also spend some time learning about
the Medal of Honor. You might even invite a
local veteran (especially if it is the parent of a
student) to talk to the class. Your local
military recruiters are often very open to school
visits. It is also very probable that there
are magazine articles, perhaps even a movie or video
interview available. Search out what resources
may be available. (Feel free to e-mail us for
any help we can provide.)
3)
NOTIFY YOUR HERO THAT HE IS ADOPTED.
Make your first
letter to the Medal of Honor recipient you are
adopting a fun project for all the students.
Perhaps a brief cover letter stating your intent
along with a "certificate of adoption" or
a card signed by all the members of the class.
We have prepared a special page of instructions for
you on where and how to write to Medal of Honor
recipients.
In all
probability you WILL receive a letter in reply from
your "Adopted hero". But because
many of them are getting older and often struggle
with health problems there is the possibility that
there may be a delay in hearing back. Don't
lose heart or become impatient. If you do not
receive a reply after a few weeks, write to and
"adopt" another Medal of Honor
recipient. Once contact IS established it will
open a world of opportunities to the classroom.
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AFTER
ADOPTION
Once you have begun
corresponding with your adopted hero, keep the project
ALIVE. Some of the things you can do:
-
Maintain the line of
communication. Send a birthday card on his
birthday (you can find it here or on his citation),
remember him regularly and especially on the
anniversary of his heroic action and special days
like Veterans Day, Medal of Honor Day, and other
patriotic holidays.
-
Create and make a scrap book
or, better yet, a display for the entire school to
enjoy, in which you can keep his letters, photos,
and other material. In it include
pictures and information on the Medal of Honor.
Remember that not everyone who sees your scrap book
or display will know how important this award is, so
include information to help others understand the
award that makes your adopted hero stand out.
-
Look for CREATIVE WAYS to
let him influence your class in terms of patriotism,
dedication, duty and honor. (A good example of
such creativity would be to create a simple award
named in honor of your hero "The ____________
Citizenship Award" to present each month to a
student who has demonstrated certain positive
attitudes, work habits, achievements, etc.) It
could be as simple as a certificate or as impressive
as a small "trophy" or ribbon.
-
SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH US ON
THIS WEB SITE....It is our hope that these pages
will produce some renewed classroom emphasis on
patriotism and respect for our true heroes. As
the program "catches on" we would like to
include a page on YOUR program under our SHARE YOUR
EXPERIENCES WITH OTHERS folder. Something you
and your students are doing may be helpful to
others. Share these ideas with us so that we
can share them with others.
-
Finally, if your adopted
hero lives within traveling distance, consider
inviting him to visit your class.
WHAT..........?
Believe it or not, Medal of Honor recipients enjoy
few things more than sharing their love for America
with kids. As improbable as it may sound, if
there is a Medal of Honor recipient close by, he
will welcome the chance visit with them. They
are the most accessible "CELEBRITIES" in
the world, probably because more than any other
famous people, they are really ordinary people like
you and I. Of course an opportunity like this
is too good not to share. If you invite your
adopted hero to school, why not plan a School-Wide:
PATRIOTIC
ASSEMBLY
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World
War II hero Desmond Doss poses at the welcome banner
prepared for him at a Pueblo grade school in 1996.
The red, white, and blue ribbon on his uniform was made
and presented to him by the children.
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Honor
a past Recipient at a local grave: