Gold Star Honor Roll

The Gold Star Honor Roll Project is in conjunction with Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana and the students of the U.S. History Honors Program.

History

The Gold Star Honor Roll Project was originated in 1985 to honor those young men and women who died defending our country. This project began in order to honor the five young men from Lake Central High School whose lives were taken during Vietnam. The Project continued to incorporate additional areas so that the entire casualty list of Indiana for Vietnam was included. Exhibits on previous wars; World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, And Desert Storm are also displayed with this project.

Gold Star Objectives

The Gold Star Honor Roll Project has many current and long-term objectives.
Our goals include:

• locating and interviewing Gold Star families.
• identifying families that have not, as of yet, received awards.
• helping the Friends of the Vietnam War Memorial locate families and veterans.
• correcting errors made by the U.S. government on the records of casualties.
• encouraging interest in history by displaying the moving museum.
• establishing an independent history museum.
• writing and publishing a history of the casualties of Lake County and neighboring counties.

Recognition

The Gold Star Honor Roll Project has earned both local and national attention. The diligent efforts of the students have been acknowledged by the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Vietnam Veterans of America, The American Legion of the State of Indiana, and the Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C. Major media such as television networks and national and local newspapers have also acknowledged this group's work.

Your Help Is Needed

To continue its research, the Gold Star Honor Roll Project workers need help. Maintenance and expansion of this project demand expanded resources. Monetary donations are necessary in order to prepare displays for public viewing.
Artifacts and information from families are also needed to aid in the research for the Gold Star Honor Roll. The project workers would like to see each Gold Star family recognized more fully and to assure that the memory of each family's loved one will be preserved for future generations.

Student Participation

The Gold Star Honor Roll Project affords a valuable learning experience for students. through this project students learn about the realities or war. In addition, students learn to work with others, communicate more effectively, and engage in an in depth research project.
Almost all research is done by the students. They form groups and are assigned different casualties. The students then attempt to contact the families or friends of these casualties and interview them. The project has been made a part of the classroom curriculum, but additional work is done on a volunteer level outside the classroom.