The launching of the Memorial Fund’s Echoes From The Wall curriculum placed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund in the center of America’s middle and high school classrooms. The Teach Vietnam Teachers Network was introduced in 2002 to help broaden The Wall’s reach in America’s classrooms and to continue the Memorial Fund’s important work of educating students about the impact of the Vietnam War.
Members of the Teachers Network commit for a minimum of one academic year, during which they fill many roles. They serve as a point of contact for other educators in their state and answer questions from other teachers about effective teaching of the Vietnam War. They also provide teachers with access to Memorial Fund materials and help educators map the Echoes From The Wall curriculum to their state’s social studies standards. In addition, Teachers Network members provide feedback about Memorial Fund programs and materials, and help in developing new resources for educators.
Each representative of the Teach Vietnam Teachers Network is strongly encouraged to complete a Community Outreach Project to promote Vietnam and veteran-related education within his or her community. Projects may range from holding a Veterans Day ceremony at school, to initiating a “pen pal” program with a veterans’ hospital to creating a memorial to local veterans. Teachers engage their students in these service learning projects, allowing students to interact with the business and veterans communities within their hometowns – thus furthering the Memorial Fund’s mission of honor, healing and education.
