Robert R. Lazar Middle School

Montville, New Jersey, USA 

Honoring Heroes---Identifying Unmarked Graves

Robert R. Lazar Middle School students work with the Montville VFW to locate tombstones of veterans who have fought in battles prior to World War I. Many of these grave markers are in very bad condition and will soon be unreadable. Students have researched wars in their social studies classes, identified local heroes in cooperation with the local VFW and have collected information to submit to the government in order to obtain bronze markers for these “forgotten” veterans. When the bronze plaques are received, a special ceremony will be held. The project is orchestrated by two 8th grade advisory groups who took it on as part of their service-learning requirement. Thus far three local cemeteries have been researched and visited during the three-year initiative. At two of these cemeteries, the graves of two Revolutionary War veterans have been discovered as well as the graves of thirty-six Civil War veterans. Students will continue their research at the third cemetery, with another potential 10 – 15 gravesites. In addition, students have spent numerous hours volunteering time to the Montville VFW.