Youth Leadership Team 2024-2025

My project aims to bring to light the tragedy of the Nueces Massacre: the slaughter of thirty-seven German immigrants during the Civil War. These men were fleeing conscription into the Confederate army, hoping to fight for the Union. They refused to allow their location to dictate their beliefs. They refused to bow to the tyranny of the South. I plan on a school trip down to the Nueces River to explore the historical site and marker, as well as preparing a talk and speaking to local homeschool communities about this important moment in Texas history. Moreover, I would like to coordinate with local museums to create exhibits showcasing this moment in history. Immigrants were fundamental players in the American Civil War, and they deserve recognition for how they served their adopted country.

"Walking on battlefields, statistics become real people with real struggles who gave everything for the freedoms that I enjoy. From poor farmer boys fighting in the American Revolution, to women who disguised themselves as men to serve in the Union army, to immigrants who couldn't speak the language but believed in America's founding enough to fight for its freedom, these real people gave their lives so that my grandparents could filter through Ellis Island."

My project is designed to educate the public about Monroe County's Civil War African American Troops, as well as honor them by dedicating two military headstones to two unmarked U.S.C.T. veterans' graves in Pleasant View Cemetery in Petersburg, Michigan and Woodland Cemetery in Monroe, Michigan. I will also be giving a PowerPoint on the area's connection to the U.S.C.T in the Civil War at our local roundtable in 2025.

"Historic preservation is not only to preserve history for the education of future generations but also to forever memorialize those who gave so much for our nation."

My battlefield project serves to educate. I will be authoring and dedicating a roadside Historic marker at the Calais Grand Army of the Republic Stow Post 29 Memorial Hall named after William Stow of the Second Vermont Regiment, who was the first person to enlist in the Civil War from Calais, Vermont in 1861 and was killed at the Battle of the Wilderness and organize a dedication ceremony to unveil it as well as conducting more research to create museum interpretation for the Colonel Addison W Preston 1st VT Cavalry exhibit at the Danville Vermont Historical Society.

"I was drawn to working with the Trust because I have long admired their mission of preserve, educate, and inspire. If we don't save our battlefields now, no one else will. Just as ordinary Americans fought to create and define these great United States, we the people, ordinary American citizens, must do our duty to preserve land that was consecrated by our first American citizen soldiers." 

I will be creating an immersive, auditory experience that captures the emotions and tales of American and Indigenous soldiers during the War of 1812.

"I'm excited to work with a group of like-minded students who care as deeply about the study and preservation of history as I do. Through collaborating and developing our projects, I hope we can shed light on untold truths, on forgotten men and women, and protect the legacies of America's most hallowed grounds for decades to come." 

By collaborating with New York politicians, historians, the Department of Education, and ABT, I hope, in the end, to either mandate battlefield education or pass an official recommendation by the DOE. With each lesson, more and more of our country's history and meaning can be discovered, preserved, and used to better the future by students nationwide.

"History has always been a tenet of my upbringing — my father always preferred sharing his favorite historical anecdotes with me over reading me 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar.' Through battlefield preservation, I want to support and encourage the same passion within any aspiring historian." 

With my project, I want to write a free children’s book honoring and uplifting our nation’s battlegrounds and heroes through heartfelt, easily digestible storytelling and captivating illustrations.

“I firmly believe in the power of writing and art to spark conversations, empowerment, and optimism for the future. The opportunity to unite my community and inspire youth through a children’s book that honors our battleground history brings me incredible joy and motivation.”

My project is focused on the contributions the Ladies of Philadelphia made to supporting the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. This digital exhibit will educate our audience via primary sources, articles, and videos. My goal is to highlight the often-overlooked contributions of women in winning the Revolutionary War, emphasizing that victory was able to be achieved with their contributions.

"To me, historic preservation is a way to learn about the sacrifices our forefathers made to build and protect this nation. This knowledge helps all Americans better understand the shared set of ideals and beliefs that this country is built on."

I plan to have students from my school write a one-pager profiling an immigrant figure during either the American Revolution, War of 1812, or the American Civil War. From there, I would compile these stories, bring them to Capitol Hill, and present them to ethnic caucus groups such as the Italian American Congressional Caucus, Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus, and many more. This would be used to convince lawmakers to support Battlefield Preservation throughout the United States.

"To me, historic preservation is a way to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to see a better America. Battlefields are an important reflection place in America where one can come thinking about the past and leave thinking about the future. Keeping these places open to all and away from development is vital to keeping battlefields as national monuments that serve as unifying locations for America." 

I will be creating a Mississippian History Youth Council composed of high schoolers from all around the state, dedicated to helping promote awareness and protection of historical grave sites around Mississippi. These are the final resting places of both Union and Confederate soldiers and should be remembered and honored. We as a society can learn from our past. As part of the next generation of historians, we must do the right thing and keep the torch of history burning for those who will follow.

"History cannot be solely taught in a standard classroom setting. Each chapter in our nation's history deserves understanding and preservation, and I want to be a part of that conversation."

My project involves bringing awareness to the Civil War skirmish, known as the Chicamacomico Races, by reaching out to yearly endurance races that occur in the area and providing educational material to the racers and the organizers. 

"Making our lawmakers aware of the special nature of America's battlefields is a necessary step in helping to preserve them."