“When students walk the battlefields, they do more than study history—they feel its heartbeat, and carry forward the enduring spirit of those who gave everything for freedom.”
- Joe REILLY, 101st Airborne
Program Overview
The Class of ’44 program elevates the study of history beyond the written page, transforming it into a profound and enduring educational experience. Rooted in the firsthand accounts and lasting legacy of World War II veterans, the program offers students a scholarship-supported, curriculum-connected journey to Normandy, France, where place-based learning brings the events of 1944 into vivid and lasting focus. Through reflection, dialogue, and remembrance, participants explore the meaning of service, sacrifice, and leadership across generations.
Three Core Values —
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The Honor
At Connecting Generations, we teach students that honor is a choice: tell the truth, keep your word, take responsibility, and stand up for others. When young people live with honor, they lead with humility and courage, strengthening their schools, communities, and our civic life.
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The Courage
In our program, character means having the courage to do the right thing, even when it’s difficult. Students practice honesty, stand in their values, and treat themselves and others with respect. That inner strength helps them meet challenges, choose wisely, and lead with trust.
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The Commitment
We believe young people grow through dedication and discipline—showing up, staying focused, and pushing through setbacks. When students choose that mindset, they reach their goals and gain a sense of what it means to honor, remember, and learn from those who defended our freedom.
The Curriculum
This core curriculum was carefully developed by World War II veterans to ensure that students encounter history as those who served would wish it to be remembered—with humility, accuracy, and deep reverence. It reaches beyond the study of wartime events to cultivate an understanding of the men and women whose lives, service, and sacrifice gave those events their deepest meaning. Within this curriculum, the fallen are never reduced to mere statistics, but are honored as heroes whose courage secured the liberties we now enjoy. In bearing witness to their legacy, students are called to rise to that same standard of service, carrying their stories forward with gratitude, integrity, and enduring purpose.
“We empower students to travel, learn, and share the living history of us World War II veterans—ensuring our legacies will inspire for generations to come.”
— Peter DUPRE , Combat Medic
Program Highlights
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Selected schools are invited to participate in this transformative program, with priority given to those serving underserved communities. The initiative expands access to meaningful, hands-on learning in World War II history, helping students think critically, engage deeply, and connect the lessons of the past to the responsibilities they carry today.
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Through a patriotic, curriculum-based immersion in World War II history, students learn the meaning of duty, honor, and country through the personal stories of those who defended freedom. Walking in the footsteps of America’s veterans, they confront the realities of war, reflect on the responsibilities of democracy, and understand the true cost of peace—returning home with deeper gratitude, stronger civic commitment, and a desire to serve.
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Step into an unforgettable learning experience across Normandy’s beaches, battlefields, and memorials—places where history doesn’t feel distant, it feels real. Through hands-on, place-based learning, students stand where the world changed and take time to reflect on the courage, sacrifice, and leadership that shaped the future.
Along the way, students hear directly from historians, veterans, and military scholars who help them understand not just what happened, but why it mattered—and what it cost. These talks bring depth to each visit and turn big historical moments into lessons that still speak to the choices we face today.
Guided visits to sites like Omaha Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery, and the Caen Memorial Museum create space for powerful questions and honest conversation. Students look closely at resilience, teamwork, and moral leadership under pressure—and connect those lessons to their own lives, values, and responsibilities.
Most of all, this program is about people. Through cross-generational mentorship with veterans and educators, students help keep living memory alive—listening, asking, sharing, and carrying these stories forward so the legacy of Normandy continues to inspire the next generation.
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We provide comprehensive support—from application steps and eligibility requirements to travel logistics and academic preparation—so schools and students can focus on the experience, not the paperwork. Built to align with educational standards and classroom objectives, the program strengthens instruction while helping students engage deeply with World War II history and understand why its lessons still matter today.
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The program brings together history, civics, social-emotional learning, and leadership to create a well-rounded experience. Students build strong historical understanding, explore duty and democracy in action, and grow in empathy and resilience. They also develop storytelling and communication skills—returning home ready to share what they’ve learned as thoughtful ambassadors of remembrance and civic engagement.
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The program equips students to help preserve veterans’ legacies, deepen their understanding of history, and apply the lessons of the past to today’s civic challenges. By reflecting on sacrifice, resilience, and moral choice, participants build empathy, character, and leadership—returning home as responsible citizens committed to honoring history and shaping a stronger future.
Nominate Your School
To be considered for participation, each school must submit a student-written nomination letter of no more than 500 words explaining why the school should be chosen. The letter should express a deep respect for history, heartfelt gratitude for the courage, service, and sacrifice of World War II veterans, and a strong dedication to civic responsibility and service to others. Most importantly, it should show that the school is ready to answer this program’s call: to engage fully in meaningful, place-based learning; to honor the legacy of the last living veterans; and to help preserve their stories so that the values they defended through their service and sacrifice continue to guide future generations.
