CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) -Inspiration is an important part of education. Some local teachers recently completed a workshop where they learned how to incorporate the values associated with the Medal of Honor into their lesson plans. What they learned is an inspiring example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.”
“A lot of people did not know that there was an African-American um astronaut aboard aboard the Challenger. We all knew that there was a teacher aboard and other people, but they didn’t know that there was an African-American astronaut. Also, they didn’t know what his life was like. He was just like everybody else. But he had a, he had a dream. He wanted to go to space. And he did make it. We want them to realize that whatever you whatever goal you set for yourself, it’s possible,” Rita Hubbard, Author of It’s Possible: The Story of Ronald McNair, said.”
“Today we have teachers here, we have librarians here. Uh and we’ve been introducing them to the book for the first time,” Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson continued, “It’s so very important to to expose them to the resources that we have. Uh, I’m really big into place-based education. And so with our center being here, we’re a place. And we are a resource to teachers and students. Um, not only do we tell the stories of space medal of honor recipients, but also Medal of Honor recipients.
“Today we’re highlighting George Jordan who is uh grew up enslaved, joined the military, served out west, and became a Medal of Honor recipient,” Wilkinson said.
“So, I came here as a way to find uh new opportunities to engage in not only the Medal of Honor recipients, but also how to highlight Black History Month, being that this is a very important month. We recognize the importance of people of color throughout our history. We want to talk about the good, the bad, the ugly through American history, and that it’s our civic responsibility to do so as educators,” Tarah Kemp, Battle Academy teacher said.
Kemp continued, “And it’s so important that that teachers and students hear these stories. Um because they, they share their importance of what these these values are that are related to the Medal of Honor; courage, commitment, um integrity, sacrifice, citizenship, patriotism. They’re all exhibiting these values in their own ways coming from their different backgrounds. uh and it’s so very important for for students and teachers to see that and learn about it. So we tell the stories of Medal of Honor and Space Medal of Honor recipients. We are one of few museums across the nation to actually exhibit a space medal of honor. Um we have Commander Scobee on display here at our center. Um and he was the commander of the shuttle that exploded in 1986. Ronald McNair was on that shuttle. He was the only African-American on that shuttle. And so we wanted his story to be highlighted. And so we were able, our first children’s book on a space medal of honor recipient is on Ronald McNair. Come down see us, experience some of these stories. Um, tour through our gallery. Um, we hope you walk away with something of value.”
