Military History Club encourages faithful citizenship

McNicholas is proud of our active Military History Club that honors our country and our veterans in the classroom and beyond.

Led by Social Studies teacher Randy Royal, the Military History Club encourages faithful citizenship through experiential learning and service projects. Recently, students have worked to restore the graves of Revolutionary War veterans, earned national recognition on the Americanism & Government Test competition, and learned from the stories of American soldiers.

Cemetery Restoration

The Military History Club has teamed up with American Legion Post 744 to help restore the  graves of Revolutionary War veterans and others buried at the Fulton-Presbyterian Cemetery. This registered historic site is believed to be the final resting place of Sgt. William Brown, who was awarded the Badge of Military Merit by General George Washington.

Rockets have been clearing the grounds and reestablishing proper final resting places for these veterans. They have also been piecing together history by identifying eroded names on gravestones and learning about the people buried there.  

Americanism & Government Test Achievement

Seniors Remington Holder and Calla Garretson and juniors Colin Koran and Evelyn Hurlburt claimed the top test scores on the American Legion Americanism and Government Test for Ohio Legion Post 484 and for the county.  

This test is administered to approximately 65,000 students across the organization’s 84 districts for an average of 774 tests taken per district. The test gives students the opportunity to show their knowledge on American government and includes a 300-word essay as well as questions covering topics from federal, state, and local government to U.S. flag code.

Remy advanced to the district level and was selected as one of the top 18 district winners in the state, earning him an all-expenses paid a trip to Gettysburg and Washington, D.C.  The trip itinerary focused on U.S. history, Americanism, and paying respect for the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom. 

Remy said, "Throughout my time at McNick, taking classes such as AP US History, AP US Government, and AP Language and participating in activities such as Military History Club, I have come to a much deeper understanding of our country, our government, and our history. These experiences and teachings are what fueled the knowledge I used on the Americanism and Government test and essay, and have helped me in meaningfully contributing to social discourse both on and outside of this trip."

Stories of a Soldier Speaker Series

The Military History Club is sponsoring a Stories of a Soldier speaker series. During the after-school sessions, local veterans share their personal experiences and the experiences of their family members who have served our country. Tim Ross, Army Veteran, shared the story of this grandfather who earned a Purple Heart while serving in the 136th Machine Gun Battalion during World War I. Tony Kohl, Marine Veteran, served in Vietnam before he was injured by a landmine. He will share his story about the life of a Marine Infantryman in Vietnam and the mission of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.  

If you know of a soldier who would be willing to share his or her story, please contact history teacher and club moderator Randy Royal.