Ozark Writing Project Teacher Brings Pearl Harbor Stories to Life for Students

Publication: News-Leader
Date: January 22, 2012

Summary: In the run-up to the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, media and veterans groups sought out World War II participants to preserve their stories for future generations. Through the work of an Ozark Writing Project teacher and her seventh-grade students, this process is already beginning.

Excerpt from Article

Among those featured were veteran Turk Seelye and his wife, Isabelle Seelye. Their story captured the attention of Colleen Appel, Fair Grove sixth- and seventh-grade communication arts teacher. She challenged her students to respond to the Seelyes' words, as conveyed in the news story, and to create poetry of their own. . . .

Appel said she prepared the students by having them study war poetry, including "Dulce Et Decorem Est" by British poet Wilfred Owen, who fought in World War I, and by studying Owen's use of irony as a literary technique.

The students' assignment was to respond to the Seelyes' story. "I told the students to find lines that spoke to them and use them to write poetry," she said.

"Even reluctant writers did some amazing poetry," Appel said. "Because I had approached it through irony, and we were examining war poetry, and tying it to history, I think they found a way into the poem" more readily, she said.

The assignment was part of Appel's ongoing commitment to creative writing with an eye toward publication, she said. "They write better when they have authentic audience and authentic purpose."

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Read Fresh take on old war stories: Fair Grove students respond to Pearl Harbor story at News-Leader.