This project is funded by a grant from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund to create a portable monument commemorating the lives of Vietnam Veterans and their families, in their own words, for middle school students in Anoka County.

Each city has erected a veterans monument to remember those who served their communities. Many list the names of these individuals, the dates of their birth and death, the branch of service, and, in a few instances, the medals they received for valor. Each community holds a Veterans Day celebration and a Memorial Day commemoration event to place flags and wreaths on gravesites. The bands play, the speeches are read, and eyes are wiped as families mourn those they loved and lost. This is crucial to the residents and the local story of shared memory.

This grant will fund the development of educational totes supplemented with online materials designed to honor the sacrifices of Vietnam Veterans and their families. These totes will feature oral histories, photographs, letters, and artifacts to bring personal stories to life, helping middle school students connect with the Vietnam War on a profoundly human level. By emphasizing personal narratives, the project will complement existing veterans' memorials and commemorations across Anoka County, creating an interactive and educational extension of these tributes.

This project will create classroom-ready educational totes for middle schools throughout Anoka County. Each tote will include curated materials from ACHS’s extensive collection of Vietnam War oral histories and artifacts.

Items such as “Veteran Portfolios”—with bios and service information—and letters home will encourage students to reflect on the fact that many Vietnam Veterans were only a few years older than they are now. Through activities designed to “put themselves in their boots,” students will explore what it might have been like to be enlisted straight out of high school and be sent to war.

The project will engage local veterans and their families in developing content, ensuring the stories shared represent diverse experiences and perspectives. By supplementing physical memorials with personal testimonies and expanding online accessibility, the project bridges the gap between static monuments and living history, fostering empathy and understanding in young learners. This makes history more relevant and impactful for students and ensures that the sacrifices of veterans from all parts of the county are honored and remembered.

The project will serve Anoka County’s middle school students, teachers, and families across 20 cities and one township, representing a population of nearly 364,000 residents. This diverse community includes families with military ties, recent immigrants, and residents from various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The project ensures that the stories of Vietnam Veterans and their families are accessible and relatable to all students, enriching the community’s understanding of this pivotal era in history.