Pickaway-Ross program celebrates decade of preserving military history while students conduct on-site interviews in nation's capital.
CHILLICOTHE, OH --- In a world that moves fast, a group of students from Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center are learning to slow down, listen, and preserve history---one story at a time.
When six of these students walked through the doors of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., this month, they carried with them more than just paperwork. In their hands were 33 recorded interviews representing decades of military service, sacrifice, and untold stories from America's veterans.
The students from Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center weren't just making a delivery---they were making history themselves, conducting live interviews with veterans Timothy Vandeborne and Roy Ramey right there in the nation's premier repository of American memory.
For Roy Ramey, the trip held special significance. At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, he pointed out his father's name---Specialist Four Roy Lindsey Ramey, killed in action June 6, 1969, in South Vietnam at age 21---engraved on Panel 23W, Line 91. As Roy shared stories about his dad and other family members who served, strangers gathered to listen in what instructor Tea McCaulla described as "a profoundly moving and unforgettable experience."
A Decade of Service
The Voices of Freedom program has quietly become one of the most impactful student-led veteran outreach initiatives since launching in 2015. What started as a classroom project has evolved into a comprehensive community service program that combines historical preservation with hands-on veteran support.
"Voices of Freedom represents an opportunity for students to engage with the veteran community and participate in learning activities that will reverberate throughout their lives and the lives of the veterans they interact with," said Director of Secondary Education Jason Vesey. "As a former history teacher, I understand the importance of documenting and preserving the veterans' stories and experiences so that future generations can also learn from America's best."
The district's commitment goes beyond philosophical support. "Pickaway-Ross instructor Tea McCaulla provides the real leadership for this course and we do our best to meet her needs and provide the resources needed to make the experience a success," Vesey explained. "As a district, Pickaway-Ross funds both the class and the culmination of the course which is a trip for the students to Washington, DC to visit the Library of Congress."
Vesey has witnessed the program's impact firsthand. "The Voices of Freedom class actually interviewed my father, who is a veteran of the US Navy. Listening to him tell stories about his interaction with the students and the process of documenting his experiences in the Navy illustrated the bond created between the students and the veterans."
The program's origins trace back to McCaulla's time teaching in Florida, where students researching Women's Airforce Service Pilots connected with veteran Bernice Haydu. That single interview, which took students to the National History Day competition and ultimately to hand-delivering their work to the Library of Congress, planted the seed for what would become Voices of Freedom when McCaulla returned to Ohio in 2015.
This year's group to visit the Capital---Kyra Beaty-Bruce, Anna-Helena Laursen, Morgan Barrows, Danielle Fout, Haylee Hilton, and Haylee Moore---represents the program's largest submission to the Library of Congress Veterans History Project to date.
A key component of the project's success lies in collaboration within Pickaway-Ross itself. The school's Visual Communication & Design program provides essential technical support, with their students filming and editing the veteran interviews while generously sharing their studio space. This partnership ensures that veterans' stories are captured with professional quality and clarity, preserving their voices for generations to come.
The program's preparation is intensive. Students begin by practicing interview techniques with partners and studying master interviewer Studs Terkel's work before moving on to family members and community members. They critique existing interviews from the Library of Congress collection and learn what McCaulla calls the art of "active listening."
"What stood out to me most this year was how my students rose to the challenge," McCaulla reflected. "As our class size grew, we had to livestream interviews to our classroom rather than crowd the recording studio. At first, it was nerve-wracking not being in the room with the student and veteran. But the students stepped up and performed even better without me there---they took ownership and conducted interviews with remarkable confidence and professionalism."
Student Kyra Beaty-Bruce, who interviewed Timothy Vandeborne, witnessed this transformation firsthand. After her interview with the retired military officer-turned-teacher, Vandeborne---who had described himself as someone who "wasn't the type of person to like touch and hugs"---embraced her. "It made me realize just how impactful talking to veterans about their experiences is, even if they don't come out and say it," Beaty-Bruce said.
For Haylee Hilton, the emotional weight of the stories stands out most. "When interviewing veterans this year, the main thing that stood out to me was when veterans would tell stories of what kept them going---they would depend on faith and hope and what they had back home. Most of all, they prayed," she said. One veteran she interviewed shared the devastating experience of losing a friend in battle, having to carry the lifeless body back, then immediately return to fighting. "In that moment you just have to let them talk," Hilton observed.
Among their interviews was a particularly poignant conversation with USAF Korean War veteran Warren Carver, whose 40-year service career from 1954 to 1994 spans multiple conflicts and generations of military evolution.
More Than Preservation
Veterans consistently express gratitude for the opportunity to share their stories with young people. "One WWII veteran told me he felt like a superstar after his interview, even though he didn't think his service was anything special," McCaulla recalled. "That sentiment is something we hear often."
Vandeborne, one of this year's D.C. interviewees, texted McCaulla after the trip: "I'm truly grateful for the Veterans History Project. It's a powerful reminder that our stories matter, and sharing them helps preserve the legacy of service, sacrifice, and leadership for future generations."
Roy Ramey, also interviewed in DC, echoed the sentiment: "You all made this a very memorable and enjoyable experience. I'm especially glad and thankful that Abby had such a great experience"---referring to his teenage daughter, who watched the interview alongside his wife Frances.
For students like Beaty-Bruce, the experience has deepened her understanding of the program's mission: "Interviewing veterans is about them, not the high school kids who sat down and asked them questions. Their stories are what matters." She emphasizes the historical significance: "I've had quite a few moments when I've been talking to a veteran and they drop a historical bomb---not by telling me textbook history, just by telling me something that happened to them. In a world where so much history is consistently erased, veterans who have served our country need to be able to tell their stories."
Beyond the Interview Room
The program's reach extends far beyond recorded conversations. Students maintain the Veterans Healing Garden at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center, a living memorial that began as a SkillsUSA project and has evolved into what McCaulla envisions as a broader community partnership. The class volunteers at events like the VA's 3rd Annual SpringFest, focusing on mental health awareness and suicide prevention---critical issues facing today's veteran community.
Students also participate in Honor Flight activities and proudly rode in Chillicothe's Memorial Day Parade on the lead float they helped decorate, sharing the honor with Grand Marshal Charlie Dawes, a U.S. Army Korean War veteran. These public appearances bridge historical preservation with community celebration, connecting past and present in meaningful ways.
Community partnerships have become essential to the program's success. Veterans in Transition and the Chillicothe VA Medical Center regularly connect McCaulla's students with interview subjects. This year, VFW Post 108 helped fund the Washington D.C. trip, and in return, the six students will present their experiences to VFW members. The program also partners with the Ross County Senior Center's Veterans Day Program, where two students annually honor veterans they've interviewed.
Students have created hallway displays where staff can honor veterans by submitting names and photos, embedding a culture of remembrance throughout Pickaway-Ross.
A Model for Others
As the program enters its second decade, McCaulla reflects on its evolution: "It's incredibly humbling and rewarding. Over the past decade, this program has grown from a small classroom project into something much larger---a way to preserve history, honor veterans, and empower students. Reaching this milestone reminds me of the importance of these connections and the responsibility we have to ensure these stories are never forgotten."
The students' work contributes to the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, supported by specialists like Donna Borden and Candace Milburn, who arrange presentations and provide gift bags to students, veterans, and families. With more than 110,000 collections already archived, projects like Voices of Freedom ensure that individual stories of service don't disappear with time.
The program's success raises questions about how other schools might develop similar initiatives, and whether state or federal support could help replicate this model across the country. As veteran populations age and community connections weaken, student-led preservation efforts may become increasingly vital for maintaining historical continuity.
"The real lesson lies in recognizing the importance of taking care of our veterans, including their legacy," Vesey noted when asked what other communities might learn from Pickaway-Ross's approach.
For Vesey, the program exemplifies career-technical education's broader mission. "Voices of Freedom works to illustrate our commitment to providing not only quality career technical training, but also academic and community service commitment for every student under our charge," he said. "The opportunity to take Ms. McCaulla's Voices of Freedom course is one that presents life-changing opportunities. Providing students with the ability to learn in a way that connects with the veteran community, travel to our nation's capital and know that they are helping document our country's history is an opportunity of a lifetime."
When students are entrusted with projects of national significance, Vesey believes it sends a powerful message: "As is always the case, the message is that PR students are ready and able to meet any challenge."
"At PRCTC, our students are incredible," said Superintendent Jonathan Davis. "They spend thousands of hours each year serving their community. We feel strongly that Voices of Freedom embodies what real-world education is all about-- engaging students in civic responsibility, honoring those who served to provide our great freedoms, and connecting classroom learning to the community and nation. We are proud to support a program that nurtures leadership, empathy, and love for the country."
In an era when civic engagement among young people is often questioned, Pickaway-Ross students are proving that the next generation is ready to shoulder responsibility for honoring those who came before---one story at a time.