This is your life ...

Originally published on: September 17, 2009

Scott Bendler answers questions about how to select photographs for the "Life Stories" oral history project that will be produced between September and January.

By Valerie Lynn Marino

Where do you start to talk about your life?  What photographs or mementos do you have that show your life?  What has been important to you and who has influenced you?  What stories can you tell or will you tell?

When nine older “partners” showed up at Bryan Community in early September, they were responding to an invitation from instructor Scott Bender, who started a student oral history project in 2006 called Life Stories.

As one of those older “partners,” I have been asking myself such questions.  And I’ve been trying to decide how to tell my student partner, Nick, about me.  We are all paired with one or two students with whom Bendler works to set the stage for an extraordinary living history lesson.

The youngest “partner” is 41; the oldest 90.  I am neither.  The students are all seniors, except for one junior.  Five will graduate in December, including Nick, who is 19.

When we meet in the library, it’s a busy place.  No one is shy and everyone is talking.  One day, Bendler asked, “What historical event that has occurred in your lifetime do you remember most?”

Having already discussed the question with the students in class, Bendler said the overwhelming response from the 16 students was 9/11.  For Nick, it was 9/11 and Columbine.

For me, age 59, there are SO many!  But I told Nick the first memorable historic moment was John Glen’s orbit around Earth.  I had a transistor radio (turquoise, I think) that I carried with me and listened to as I walked VERY slowly to school.

I wanted to hear the whole thing before I arrived.  Needless to say, I was late for school and no one asked why.  Which I found VERY disappointing, because I wanted to tell everybody all about it!

This semester’s older “partners” are a diverse group who have 100s of years of memories …

• Phyllis Guzman is a former teacher at Bryan Community and a new grandma again.  Her student partner is William Romero, senior.
• Greg Holloway is a Vietnam vet and works actively for all veterans issues.  His student partners are Nate McDonald and Shelby Parks, seniors.
• Cheri Jackson currently works with Head Start at Lincoln Action Program.  Her student partners are Keegan Furry and Sylvia Holloway, seniors.
• Roger Larson is a Lincoln radio legend.  His student partner is Makenzie Crew, senior.
• Steve Nelsen is a retired teacher from Lincoln Southeast High School.  His student partners are Marisa Herrington and Michael Krause, seniors.
• Dorothy Schwartzkopf ruled Nebraska women’s golf in the 1960s.  Her student partners are Jenny Dobesh and Laci Steele, seniors.
• Jim Williams holds a doctorate in agronomy and retired from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  His student partners are Mariah Roe, junior, and Cortney Treptow, senior.
• Lowell Zetterman is a former teacher of Bendler and NSEA representative.  His student partners are Theresa Ernst and Toni Reid, seniors.

Bendler is frequently asked to speak about this project …
 “The purpose of Life Stories is to promote youth development through service learning, while developing technology skills and use of media.  It has given students an opportunity to connect to the community and, at the same time, advance their own knowledge and skills.

Life Stories has provided meaningful opportunities for students to make positive connections with elders in our community.  We had no idea how powerful some of the connections would become.”

In my work with Communication Services at Lincoln Public Schools, we have worked with Bendler to package Life Stories for cable channel TV21 educational access.  The 2006 project is currently airing.  The schedule is: Saturdays @ 2:00 p.m. – Mondays @ 5:00 p.m. – Wednesdays @ 5:00 p.m.

Now I have to get my homework done.  Next week, I have to take 15 to 25 photos to Nick.  I HAVE learned one thing already.  I am MUCH more comfortable asking Nick about his life than thinking about and talking about mine.