CHESAPEAKE — A Collins Career Technical Center teacher has been selected as part of a Researching Silent Heroes webinar series, in coordination with the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Darla Carpenter was chosen for her research of World War I soldier Pvt. Curtis Crawford Bryant of the U.S. Army. Bryant, Ohio, is buried at Meuse Argonne American Cemetery in France.

Carpenter was one of the 55 educators selected for the series, a cost-free learning opportunity, where they receive hands-on training to research and create a profile for a Silent Hero, an individual who served in the United States military. The men and women researched for this webinar series died during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War and are buried or memorialized in an American military cemetery cared for by the ABMC.

From now until March, teachers meet monthly with both a historian and a research specialist to set their Silent Heroes into historical context and learn strategies to research their lives. They discuss effective research strategies and discuss how to deal with roadblocks that historical research creates, such as missing or incomplete records, alternate spellings, or reconciling memories with the historical record. When the teachers complete their research in April, they will write a profile for NHD’s Silent Heroes website for publication in late spring/summer. This work will be shared with the American Battle Monuments Commission for future use in their educational materials.

“National History Day’s Researching Silent Heroes program is essential to our work to improve the teaching and learning of history,” Cathy Gorn, Ph.D., executive director of National History Day, said. “Thanks to ABMC, teachers across the country and around the world get to dive into primary source research about the lives of service members from twentieth century conflicts. I can’t wait to read the impactful profiles the teachers will write about these fallen service members’ lives.”

The 55 teachers selected for this program represent 32 states and two Department of Defense schools overseas. Their Silent Heroes are buried or memorialized at 17 ABMC Cemeteries.