For the second year in a row, Eric Brunnemann, Park Superintendent, accepted an invitation for the National Park Service to participate in “Career Day” at Andersen Middle School. In efforts to show the students at Andersen the natural, historical, and cultural resources which abound on Guam and in the park, Eric brought with him Park Ecologist, Marine Ecologist Dwayne Minton, Museum Curator Tammy Duchesne, Ranger Liz Cruz, and American Memorial Museum Association employee Anita Cruz. Each WAPA and AMMA employee brought with them resources, samples, items, or artifacts that would help explain the island’s cultural prehistory, the natural resources, and the events of WWII. In addition to explaining what our park is about, we specifically shared information about the duties and responsibilities of each of our diverse jobs. Eric Brunnemann, the Park’s Superintendent who is also a trained and accomplished archeologist, brought prehistoric and replica ground-stone artifacts with samples of red clay that he ground for the students to demonstrate how ancient Chamorros made pigment.

Eric invited the students to grind the clay to make pigment and they loved the opportunity to get their hands dirty using this prehistoric tool. In addition to showcasing the uses and utility of prehistoric tools, Eric also brought in palm frond leaves. He demonstrated how the plant’s greenery could be removed by scraping and how the plant could be manipulated to form cordage. The students were amazed at the strength of the cordage and found the Superintendent’s pigment and cordage demonstrations very interesting.

Tammy Duchesne, Museum Curator, brought in several artifacts from the Pacific Theater of WWII. Duchesne showcased and displayed an intricately engraved general issued canteen which may have belonged to a Codetalker who was serving on Guam during the war years. The canteen which reads “Kali-Sioux Resevation, Black Hills, South Dakota” on one side and “Smokey Dias” on the other, was displayed and described alongside a book on Code talkers and an article which appeared in the Lakota Journal, South Dakota about the very canteen that was being explained and exhibited.

 In addition to the canteen, Duchesne also showcased a scrapbook from 1944 which contained a soldier’s handwritten letters, photographs, magazines, programs, and official documents related to the soldier’s military service. This scrapbook which also included newspaper portions and clippings from the 1940s was a big hit with the students. Duchesne also brought in several “Seabee” or “CB” patches and she also brought in a “dog-tag” from the WAPA collection. The final artifact that was displayed was a leather aviator’s cap that once belonged to the superintendent’s grandfather who served in the Army Airforce in the Pacific during the war years. Duchesne used these items to demonstrate how history can be interpreted by carefully selecting artifacts. Duchesne also stressed the importance of maintaining and caring for the museum collection and described the duties, responsibilities, and challenges of being a museum curator.

Dwayne Minton, Ecologist, brought in several samples of sand from a wide array of  geographic locations including star sand from a local beach, volcanic sand from a northwest Hawaiian island, as well as sand from various coral atolls. Using a microscope, students were able to look at the different characteristics and composition of the various sand types, including the small animals that make up many of the individual grains.He also showed the how sand evolves from a very rough form, sometimes called “oatmeal” to a very fine grain. Students, through Dwayne’s display, hands on activities, and informative talk, were able to understand the duties of an Marine biologist in addition to being able to see first hand some of the sands that are indigenous to Guam and then compare how these sand differ from sands from other Pacific islands. Dwayne also had a “slide-show” playing on his laptop while he gave his talk; Students were amazed at the beauty and color of many of the fish and coral. These images were photographed while Minton was on a research trip in the northwest Hawaiian islands last year. Many students were very eager to learn how they too could become Marine Biologists.

After students learned about the duties and responsibilities of being an archeologist, a museum curator, and a Marine Biologist, students then visited Liz and Anita Cruz at the interpretation station. At this station, Liz and Anita explained the important role of the Park Ranger. They explained how a Ranger spends her days and talked about the value of quality interpretation. Liz and Anita brought with them a large cardboard display which included many photos and descriptions of each unit of War in the Pacific National Historical Park. The rangers explained why the park was established, described the sites are of interest in each unit, provided the students with information on the park, and encouraged the middle school students to “Find their America” at the War in the Pacific National Historical Park on Guam.

Students were rotated from one special interest table to another so they could see how the War in the Pacific National Historical Park works towards its mission which is to “commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of those participating in the Pacific Theater of World War II” and to conserve and interpret the “outstanding natural, scenic, and historical objects on the island of Guam for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations”. Students enjoyed the diverse presentation and there was clearly something that appealed to everyone- no matter how distinct or diverse their tastes. While the students were able to learn about the park , they were also able to gain valuable information about the various careers and jobs within the National Park Service. Many students expressed an interest in pursuing one of the careers they learned about that day and many seemed intrigued by the National Park Service.

This is the second year in a row that WAPA participated in Andersen Middle School’s Career Day. WAPA was delighted to attend and plans are already underway to have WAPA return to the school so they can give their presentation to those students who were unable to attend. While its been over a year after Supertyphoon Pongsona destroyed War in the Pacific’s museum, contact facility, library, and administrative offices, WAPA continues to remain active in the community by attending and participating in events such as this one. WAPA has made several school presentations since its first one during last years Andersen Middle School Career day.

To have War in the Pacific visit your class or attend your event, please contact us at 472- 7240 (ext. 236, 237, 222, 224) or fax 472- 7241.