“Its been 43 years since I've been in Vietnam,” said veteran Rick Leech in his opening statement to an audience of students at the North Haven High School. “In 1963 I was a junior in high school. I vaguely remember reading that the U.S was sending more advisors to Vietnam, a place I still couldn't find on a globe.”

Leech went on to comment about a number of things, including the food, the entertainment and the deep bond shared between the soldiers in his unit. “It was more like a brotherhood,” said Leech about the relationship with his fellow soldiers.

“On Sept. 11, 2001, I was on the 26th floor of the North Tower,” said Don Bender, a survivor of the Sept. 11 attacks and fellow event speaker. “To me, it felt like an earthquake.”

Bender described the events of that day in striking detail, mentioning that he knew several co-workers who perished in the rubble.

Leech and Bender were sharing their experiences with North Haven High School students as part of the Eyewitness to History program, a day-long series of testimonies given by first-hand witnesses to historical events. The event, which offered students a rare opportunity to learn about history in a different way, was organized by North Haven High School social studies teacher Federico Fiondella.

Fiondella's program generated a wave of praise and positive feedback after running for the first time last spring. He already has some ideas for interesting additions to next year's presentation, which may include speakers related to the Civil Rights movement and the genocide in Darfur. The idea behind the program was first conceived by Fiondella during his tenure as a social studies teacher at the North Haven Middle School.

First hand sources offer students an exciting and unbiased alternative to traditional resources like books and lectures. Students sat attentively, and even participated in question and answer-sessions with the speakers.

“They were geared toward the presentation the whole time,” said Fiondella.

The Eyewitness to History program would not have been possible without some support from several different people within the town of North Haven. The idea was immediately well received by high school principal Dr. Russell Dallai and Superintendent Sara-Jane Querfeld. Daniel Riccio, commander of the American Legion Post No. 76 gave Fiondella the contact information for a number of the veterans who spoke at the event.

“I got a lot of help from within the school,” said Fiondella.

North Haven Middle school physical education teacher and military veteran Brent Heidenis, both a friend and colleague to Fiondella, also spoke about his experiences in Iraq.

“I grew up around a family that liked to tell stories,” said Fiondella about the inspiration behind the program.

Today’s kids are often too busy or too distant with their extended family to sit and listen to the stories of older generations. An Eyewitness to History gave many a chance to compensate for this cultural deficiency.

“It's really important to listen to the stories of those that lived it,” said Fiondella about the program's impact on the students. “History needs to be heard, not just read or seen.”