The recent educational grant partnership with the Virginia Beach City Schools, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, and the Children’s Museum of Virginia began to pay big dividends for the Memorial. The Education Department recently received a new Dell Laptop Computer along with an In-Focus projection machine for use in presentations made in conjunction with the grant. This equipment permits the staff to present professional and polished electronic displays with clarity and speed.

In addition to receiving equipment, the educator conducted three teacher workshops reaching over forty area teachers who had never visited or used the services of the Memorial previously. Full day training included tours, demonstrations of teaching aids, discussions, questions and answers, and a brief by the archivist and curator.

With increased student visitorship, there has been a welcomed increase in volunteerism at the Memorial. College internships were arranged with Old Dominion University, Virginia Wesleyan College, and Longwood College. The contributions of those interns ranged from the development of educational activities designed for a new web page, to a newly developed educational brochure that describes the activities offered through the Memorial. These interns also supported the educator in conducting a large number of classroom activities and tours.

Work also continues on the design and fabrication of the "Rosie the Riveter and G.I. Joe" activities that students will experience on visits to the Memorial beginning in January 2004.

Students will examine the military lives of several honored veterans of World War II through an inquiry-based examination of uniforms and equipment.

The MacArthur Report