CARIBOU, Maine — Caribou sixth-graders had an opportunity to sit down with local veterans at the Lister-Knowlton Post 9389 VFW on Nov. 13 and ask them about their experiences in the military.
While this is a first for the veterans and students, many involved said they would like to see the event continue throughout the years.
Among the roughly half dozen veterans who volunteered their time to speak with students, Raymond Hildebrand said he “absolutely” hopes to see the veteran interviews continue and emphasized the importance of being able to speak from a place of experience.
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- Caribou sixth-graders interview U.S. Army veteran Roger Felix at the local VFW on Nov. 13. Students from left, are Hannah Willey-Forbes, Caela Day, Celina Soucy, Lukas Landeen and Noah Jones. (Chris Bouchard)
Hildebrand is both an Air Force and Army National Guard veteran, and also the current president of the Loring Military Heritage Center in Limestone. He also has 28 years of experience as a high school history teacher.
“When I went to UMPI to get my teaching degree,” he said, “I took a public speaking class, and learned that anybody can talk about anything. But if you can speak from personal experience, it adds a whole new dimension to what you’re saying; it’s not just an academic thing anymore.”
Hildebrand said he hopes that the kids in attendance are able to “come away with a sense that this is not just something in a textbook or a newspaper,” and develop an understanding that the experiences of servicemen and women are real.
Cheryl Pelletier, a sixth grade teacher at Caribou Middle School, said she has had the idea to get in touch with local veterans since last Summer.
“My husband and I were at the Memorial Day Parade,” she said, “and he was saying it’s kind of sad that there weren’t a lot of people there. So I wanted to try to bring patriotism back to the younger kids, and to show them to honor veterans in the community.”
From there, Pelletier contacted VFW Cmdr. Roger Felix, and Caribou veteran Phil Caverhill.
“I got some voice recorders through a grant,” Pelletier said, “and thought it would be easier for the students to just have a conversation with veterans and then go back to school and write about the stories they were told.”
Looking ahead, Pelletier says she hopes to have her students interview local veterans “every year.”
Hildebrand agreed, and said he hopes it will help the public obtain a greater understanding of veterans in their communities, and what they experienced.
“That, to me, is very important,” he said.
