British War World II hero, 98, writes local schoolchildren
Juliana O'Neill
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: News
The arrival of a handwritten note at Gier Elementary School last week from 98-year-old Sir Nicholas Winton, who helped save Jewish children during World War II, surprised Denise McCosh's fifth grade class, who all had written thank-you letters to him after senior Ben Stafford told them Winton's story.
"He saved kids in England that were on the street whose parents had died," fifth grader Jake Estel said. "In my letter I said thank you for saving all those children."
Stafford volunteers for Hillsdale College's Junior Achievement program, which teaches elementary through high school students business skills. He said he taught the kids about Winton's sacrifice as an example of a successful entrepreneur.
"When we were talking about business and being an entrepreneur, I wanted to show there was more than making money or being successful in the business world," Stafford said. "It is important to teach kids about virtue and character."
Stafford met Winton in the summer and decided to incorporate his story into the Junior Achievement lesson plan. Winton organized a rescue operation and raised funds to place 669 Czechoslovakian Jewish children in homes away from the war. Including those children and their descendants, 5,000 people owe their life to Winton.
"The kids were definitely impressed and respected what Winton did," Stafford said. "I could tell by how they reacted verbally and by their letters. They understood what happened."
Stafford did not expect Winton to personally write back the fifth graders. He said that he thought Winton's caretaker - one of the children he saved - might write a note to the children, so he was pleasantly surprised when he received Winton's letter last week. Winton's note thanked each child by name.
Stafford taught McCosh's students about economics last year and McCosh asked Stafford to teach again this year.
"The idea was to teach them about someone with good character and honor that by writing to thank them," Stafford said.
"He saved kids in England that were on the street whose parents had died," fifth grader Jake Estel said. "In my letter I said thank you for saving all those children."
Stafford volunteers for Hillsdale College's Junior Achievement program, which teaches elementary through high school students business skills. He said he taught the kids about Winton's sacrifice as an example of a successful entrepreneur.
"When we were talking about business and being an entrepreneur, I wanted to show there was more than making money or being successful in the business world," Stafford said. "It is important to teach kids about virtue and character."
Stafford met Winton in the summer and decided to incorporate his story into the Junior Achievement lesson plan. Winton organized a rescue operation and raised funds to place 669 Czechoslovakian Jewish children in homes away from the war. Including those children and their descendants, 5,000 people owe their life to Winton.
"The kids were definitely impressed and respected what Winton did," Stafford said. "I could tell by how they reacted verbally and by their letters. They understood what happened."
Stafford did not expect Winton to personally write back the fifth graders. He said that he thought Winton's caretaker - one of the children he saved - might write a note to the children, so he was pleasantly surprised when he received Winton's letter last week. Winton's note thanked each child by name.
Stafford taught McCosh's students about economics last year and McCosh asked Stafford to teach again this year.
"The idea was to teach them about someone with good character and honor that by writing to thank them," Stafford said.
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