If You Know Any Korean Americans...
Our Chapter, Missouri Chapter 1 (CID #44), has been presenting our Tell America Program to St.
Louis city and county schools since 1995. I have been the Chapter's chairman of this program since
1998, during which time Chapter members have spoken to 15,500 students.
We have found that teachers in many cases need to hear this as much as the students do. Many of
them know little about the war. We have learned that teachers demonstrate more knowledge now that
the program is in place - especially since the 50th anniversary of the war (2000-2003).
It seems that once we get into a school with our program, schools want us back each year. Two or
three schools host us around Veterans Day, and again in the spring, when history classes are studying the
Korean War. We have found that most history teachers feel very pressed for time because they have
too much to cover during the semester. This is one reason our program helps them so much.
We have a condensed program that begins with the end of WWII and goes through the Korean War. It
shows what was accomplished in our experience and how we are appreciated by the country of South Korea.
Our Chapter is closely associated with the St. Louis Korean-American Society. We all get a great
feeling of satisfaction being involved with the Tell America Program.
If you know any Korean-Americans who are willing to visit some classes with you, their presence is very
effective. When the students and teachers hear how appreciative the Koreans are, it helps convince
them how much our Korean War veterans really accomplished in Korea.
If any of the chapters in various areas are not participating in the Tell America Program, they
are missing out on a very rewarding and worthwhile project.
Dwight Henderson
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