On Tuesday 14th May 2002 team members Rob Lowe and Rob Edgell attended the Emarald RSL and spoke to students of the Emerald Primary School.

The school runs its own website at www.eps.vic.edu.au and six of the students wrote of their visit to the RSL. Their comments can be read by clicking here select RSL

Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2001 2:04 PM
Subject: Re: A Letter of Thanks from Mark Reidy

Dear Phillip,

This is a letter of thanks and encouragement from myself and the VCE History students of Brighton Secondary College. The seminar that yourself, Rob and Ray held at Brighton Secondary on the 11th of September 2001 was one of the best learning experiences that I have had and I know that the students feel the same way.

As a teacher of history I know that it can be quite difficult at times for many students to grasp the relevancy of what they are learning to the world around them. Teaching them about the Vietnam War and the many consequences of the conflict is a case in point. The students of today didn’t experience the Cold War and the tensions that it gave rise to. They have difficulty understanding the motivations of many people and countries during this period. The Vietnam War is a great example of how the Cold War pushed certain countries into a ‘Hot’ War, which in historical terms didn’t happen that long ago.

The seminar that the 3 of you held enabled to the students primarily to see, meet and listen to people that lived through and were a part of a defining moment in the second half of this century. They were able to more closely identify with what you were saying and showing to them than what they would usually cover in a classroom. The fact that you were able to provide them with numerous artefacts, photographs and other visual stimuli was one of the great things about your seminar. I remember watching practically all the students having a close look at your replica booby traps, (before your visit all of the Year 11 class where fascinated by my explanations of Viet Cong booby traps), being able to view the models was a great learning experience for them.

The manner in which you, Ray and Rob spoke to the students does all of you great credit. By stating the facts quite plainly, having a joke with them and between yourselves and by most importantly not speaking down to the students made the seminar an enjoyable experience for them. All 32 of them gave you their undivided attention for almost 2 hours, which in itself is a rarity in education. Then when you had finished your set presentation many of them came forward and asked more questions of you, they were really taken in by what you had said to them. They learnt much more about the war and the people involved during and directly after the seminar than what I was able to get across to them during the previous week. Rob, Ray and yourself made a huge contribution to their education with the seminar you held, and I am willing to bet that many of the students didn’t even realise that until they had to complete their outcome for the unit on the Vietnam War. At the time, the donations made to the V.V.A.A by the students after the seminar showed how much they appreciated your time and effort in coming to Brighton Secondary College.

The fact that the V.V.A.A. Education Team is a voluntary service speaks highly of the people involved. Having seen what you do in schools I can honestly say that you guys can teach secondary students about the Vietnam War more effectively than a teacher in a classroom setting. Like I noted above you were a part of a great event in the worlds and Australia’s history and I think that you deserve a great deal of credit for being prepared to go to all these schools and hold these brilliant seminars on a voluntary basis. It’s my opinion that the V.V.A.A. Education Team should be getting some kind of government assistance as you a contributing a great deal to the study of History in secondary schools. You are doing a brilliant job and I offer you all the encouragement I can. I know that the students that attended your seminar at Brighton Secondary agree with that sentiment.

Once again Phil, thank you very much for coming down to Brighton, also thank Ray and Rob as well. In that seminar you proved to many of the students that history is not boring and events in the past still have a great deal of relevancy to the present and future. You showed them the futility of war, during these turbulent times I know that they will remember that message.

Yours Sincerely,

Mark Reidy

Monash University Diploma of Education (Secondary)

The following is a letter from the History teacher and a student of
Montmorency Secondary College
19th October, 2001.

Dear Members of the Vietnam Veterans Association

The Teacher

I would like to thank your members for the wonderful presentation that they gave my Year 11 students on Monday.
It was a memorable occasion and gave the students a lot to think and talk about.  Their letters of thanks are enclosed.

The members who came to talk to us at Montmorency were highly professional but also relaxed and open with the students
and I think this approach worked very well.  It is noticeable in the students' letters that they learnt a lot about the high price
that individuals had to pay for taking part in this war.  They all appreciated the opportunity to meet and talk to 'real people'
and I am sure it was an experience they will never forget.

Many thanks

The Student

The talk you gave to my history class on Monday the 15th October gave me a better understanding of what it was like for
people who were involved in the Vietnam war.  While I will never know what it was like to be there it gave me a better
appreciation of what people did for there country and other countries.

I had never heard someone talk about the war except for what you read in books and see in pictures and films so it gave me
another view of the war.  It made me realize just how serious things were and how serious things might get today and I begin
to think how lucky I am not to have to live through things such as what went on in Vietnam, and it makes you hope things like
that never happen again.

Yours Sincerley

Pictures from the visit to Montmorency Secondary College can be found on the School Photo's page

Comments from Strathmore Secondary College

March 27th 2002

Dear Phil & the extraordinary western region education team. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for sharing
your experience & knowledge with us at Strathmore S.C. What a team you are, such a good representation of diversity & unity.
Both the students & staff learned from your presentation. I only wish our department could donate a little more.
Do you have an education team working in Gippsland (my sister in Sale is doing "In The Lake of the Woods" in year 11).
Regards, 
Anna Treasure.

Fintona Girls School

The following letter and presentation was sent to the team in appreciation of three students obtaining A+ results.


Click Here to view the powerpoint presentation designed by the students. (Download will take about 1 minute)