Flossmor Veterans' Memorial Vets' Time Machine To Be Featured At Regional History Conference

FLOSSMOOR, IL — Flossmoor Veterans’ Memorial, Inc. (FVM) has been selected by the IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law’s Constitutional Democracy Project to present its eighth-grade “Flossmoor Veterans’ Time Machine” local history project on October 31.

The Constitutional Democracy Project’s mission is to offer high-quality, hands-on civics education programming to middle and high school students. Additionally, the Project provides professional development training for faculty and classroom resource experts to Chicago and collar county school districts. Originally housed for nearly 50 years with the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, the Project has served nearly 18,000 students and 450 teachers with classroom resource experts and educational materials.

FVM’s “Flossmoor Veterans’ Time Machine” was selected for the 2025 Conference for Teachers of Civics, Law, and Government in the area of “History in the Classroom.” Launched in a 2024 partnership with Flossmoor School District 161’s Parker Junior High School, the Veterans’ Time Machine provided seven days of local history coursework focusing on the role of Flossmoor veterans in service to the United States Armed Forces. FVM developed teacher and student workbooks, interactive PowerPoint slide shows, lists of primary resource materials, and Americans with Disabilities-accessible videos on eight servicemen who perished in service to the country as well as Flossmoor’s efforts to honor all veterans and those who currently serve. The Time Machine was designed in conjunction with District 161’s shift to standards-based learning and grading, which is a new approach to assessing the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students should be able to demonstrate after learning new material.

Nearly 300 Parker Junior High seventh- and eighth-grade students participated in the 2024 launch. At the conclusion of the Veterans’ Time Machine, each student completed a report, interview, project, or other artifact demonstrating their newly developed knowledge, skills, and abilities. In addition, each classroom received a 3D printed replica of the proposed Flossmoor Veterans’ Wall of Honor. Students then designed and decorated their own custom Walls of Honor, focusing on the symbolism of their choices. Seven submitted 3D replicas were put on display at the Flossmoor Public Library during November 2024, with the community participating in online “fan favorite” voting. District 161 and FVM will continue the Veterans’ Time Machine for the 2025-2026 school year, and Flossmoor’s Infant Jesus of Prague School will join the program this year as well.

“FVM’s mission statement focuses on community engagement, education, and civic awareness of this effort," Braun said. "We are thrilled with the level of interest and commitment our School District 161 scholars demonstrated to become more engaged citizens. We’re honored to share the results of our research with the Constitutional Democracy Project because we believe our partnership can be replicated in other communities to civically engage our youngest residents.”

For more information, visit @honoringflossmoorvets on Facebook/Instagram, @FlossmoorVWH on Twitter/X, https://flossmoorvets.square.site on the Web, or flossmoorvets@gmail.com via e-mail.