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.
