Class of 2021 graduate, and Civil War reenactor, Tom McEntire has been presenting to Mrs. Lesch’s social studies classes since he was in the eighth grade. On January 13, he continued sharing his passion of history with middle school students, discussing topics such as clothing, food, and camp life.
Tom said the experiences he has gained through being a reenactor have provided him with an even deeper appreciation for the services of soldiers, both past and present.
Instead of solely showing students items during a presentation this year, Tom allowed them to come up and have a closer look at his gear. This provided opportunities such as the chance to read from an old newspaper.
“The students seem to really like it, and I try to change it up each year to see what I can improve on. This year, I tried to have a little bit more of an interactive experience,” said McEntire.
While most of the items Tom brought to show students were not originals, he hopes the realistic reproductions help students to gain a further insight of the day-to-day life of Civil War soldiers.
“I think it’s very important to see actual things used back then as they gain more of a liking for history,” said McEntire.
While current and future higher education prospects keep Tom busy, he hopes to continue coming back to present to students as long as he can.