Project lets relatives share memories
ADAMS TWP — The freshmen in two Mars High School English classes learned about life in years gone by through a project undertaken at the school for the third year.
Teachers Gabrielle Hock and Kristan Kriley asked students to interview a relative to capture a specific memory, then write a paper on the experience and bring in an artifact related to the story. The relatives are then invited to class to share their memories with students.
Hock recently said the exercise correlates with the assignment to read the book “The Giver” by Lois Lowry, which incorporates memory as a significant theme.
“They have to figure out the 'giver' of memories in their family, and a lot of those memories are about war, marriages, or other significant events,” Hock said. “It's important because with all the technology today, it forces them to communicate with their grandparents or others and learn about their own families.”
Hock welcomed the subjects of her students' compositions during four class periods April 11.
Don Kohl, 78, of Mars visited his grandson, Noah Kohl, in Hock's class on Thursday afternoon.
Kohl told the class, in his animated way, about his 35 years at IBM, his time in the Army in Japan and his mischievous years as a student at North Catholic High School.
But it was his career in baseball and softball that lit up the face of Noah's grandfather, as he regaled the students with stories of stealing bases, well-placed bunts and the throw from center field in his senior softball league that ended his career just a few years ago.
“I would have gotten the guy out, but the 82-year-old catcher dropped the ball,” Kohl said.
Noah read his paper aloud to his classmates, in which he shared his memories of throwing the ball around with his grandfather as well as the elder Kohl's memories of his life and baseball career.
Noah said while they are separated by two generations, he and his grandfather are “two of a kind. We both try to work hard to succeed.”
While Kohl was the only visitor at the afternoon session, several students read their papers aloud and showed the artifacts that accompanied them.
Lizzy Austin read about the memories of her grandfather, who is a World War II veteran; Ryan Wasylsona displayed a military-issue dehydrated meal given to him by his late grandfather, who stormed the beaches of Normandy during World War II; Joel Larocca read about his grandfather's restoration of a 1955 Ford Thunderbird; and Summer Jacobs read about her colorful Uncle Charlie, who she described as “one of my best friends.”
Students also brought in foods that related to their families' treasured memories. Noah shared the cut-out cookies prepared by his grandmother each Christmas, and Summer brought in small cupcakes to reflect her family's tradition of lighting a candle on a cupcake each Christmas morning to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
During the last few minutes of class, students perused the dozen or so artifacts and their descriptions displayed in one corner of the classroom.
Student Julia Aguirre said the assignment is valuable to her because of the lessons of respect, patience and initiative in the stories of her classmates.
Patty Vickinovac said she enjoyed learning from other students' families. She also appreciated the twinkle in the eye of the visitors who came to share their memories.
“They relive the experience when they tell it,” Patty said.
