Part Forty-seven--HEROES: A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY, part 1
HEROES: A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY
At Europe’s moment of greatest peril a generation of young men and women faced a daunting challenge—the fate of the world lay in their hands. (Ken Burns, World War II)
This is a picture layout of the year.
Our year consisted of 1 small component--
AN ARMY OF ONEHero Generation
3 major components -- European Theater, Pacific Theater, and Home Front:
THEIR FINEST HOUREuropean Theater
NEVER GIVE INHistory/setting
NUMBER THE STARSGovernment/Rights
SOLDIERS WITHOUT GUNSPower of the Word
UNCOMMON VALORPacific Theater
DAY OF INFAMYHistory/setting
BANZAI!Government/Rights
CODE TALKERSPower of the Word
ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACYHome Front
WAR MACHINE: CIVVIES TO KHAKIS History/setting
A NECESSARY WAR Government/Rights
WE INTERRUPT THIS BROADCAST Power of the Word
and a little component at the end
SCISSORS BEATS PAPER Celebration
Karen drew this mind map for us. The 'z' was left off 'rendezvous', but everything else was so beautiful, no one caught it until much later.
OUR YEAR RATIONAL:
HEROES: A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY EPIC ADVENTURE is designed to draw students into the times of the World War II conflict in the European & Pacific theaters of war and the Home Front; show them their place in the cycles of history as the current Hero Generation and why their role is vital to weathering the challenges of the Fourth Turning Crisis. They will come face to face with real heroes and be inspired to valiantly, courageously, and victoriously meet their rendezvous with destiny.
OPENING DAY AT HOME
Each student was sent a World War II era draft notice. The internet is amazing for helping me find things and tweak them!
The prospective cadets were to report to the local draft board to determine their ability to serve. This would be our opening night.
We did all the usual things: colored the year mind map; put together binders; and bask in the excitement of the day while I read some thematic literature. They didn't receive a few things, like journals of discovery, as those were handed out at our opening night.
Our thematic frame, patterned after the U.S. Army design, was ubiquitous this year.
While the girls colored mind maps and put their binders together I read several chapters of Rumors of War from the Children of the Promise series by Dean Hughes. I read the entire series to them this year. It was a great way to introduce many of the major events of World War II through the eyes of a family, including majors events in Europe, the Pacific, and at home.
The girls wore their dad's Air Force shirts and hats. I hung this flag up to celebrate our opening day.
I also made this life-size soldier who stood sentinel in our dining room the entire year.
The girls each received one of these and a set of shiny star stickers. Every time they did an inquiry they could add a star to topic to move up in rank all the way to General of the Army!
OPENING NIGHT
Hal was with us, but he was filming the entire time. I was the MC.
Eleven families started out the year with us. The students/cadets were divided into platoons and did some team building activities first since there were so many new families. Then they rotated through these stations:
STATIONS:
1--Given rank and serial number, picture taken for ID card.
7--Issue Regulation uniform --HERO insignia tee shirts (and time to change)
8--Issue Journals of Discovery
9--Issue Hero Handbooks
Cadets getting their journals stamped.
Giselle reads her Hero Handbook
They also received this handbook compiled by another mother. It contained information about military organization, rank insignia, key points about military time, customs, mottos, standards of conduct, basic skills, etc. We used it off and on during the year.
I don't remember the name of this card with fingerprints and vital information.
The mothers created our own tee shirts for uniforms this year. I drew this insignia, patterned after other military branches, and another mother had all the tee shirts made. This is a great benefit to working with a large group of dedicated moms--a division of labor, and so many amazing things contributed to bless everyone. Our values: Duty, Honor, Virtue. Our motto: In Deo Speramus (In God is our hope).
One mother made all the journals--7"x7" square paper cut and spiral bound with camouflage material jackets sewn and added to the covers, with the year and date added. Whew!
Later at home I gave the girls some of Hal's Air Force patches. This is the inside cover of Autumn's journal. The blue pin is the insignia of her great uncle who was killed during WWII. It was a great treasure that I happened to find in my grandmother's jewelry box this year.
At one of the stations the cadets received a stamp in their journals:
Hero Generation: A Rendezvous with Destiny
Everyone received two dog tags--one to wear and one for their journal of discovery.
Again, another mother ordered all these personalized tags. Amazing!
Autumn was so glad to have more teenagers join in our year.
The cadets were given ration boxes with great key points inside.
When the cadets completed their rotations they were all sworn in as a group by repeating
The American's Creed.
I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.
–Written 1917, accepted by the United States House of Representatives on April 3, 1918.
Afterwards six women performed our school song, complete with an army stomp routine. Later at home Autumn and Giselle learned the stomp routine, and Autumn kept saying that this was the most awesome school song ever!
Our annotated song with scriptures and quotes.
HEROES OF WAR by David Robidoux
Our school year song music was a Monday Night NFL theme. It was perfect!
Our visitor that night was Deena's WWII veteran father. He shared a wonderful introduction to the war. At the end he handed out small momentos: photos of him before and after his boot camp. What a difference!
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