Seniors in Prague and Budapest, Special O's honors

Study trip to Eastern Europe makes the books come alive
Durham Academy seniors finish the year with Senior Projects, and seniors Ashley Brasier, Si Carpenter, Wyche Carr, Michael Conners, Josh Pathman, Will Ramsey, Sam Schwartz and Sam Shannon embarked on a week-long study trip about the Cold War behind the Iron Curtain. They were accompanied by DA history teacher Dave Gould and his wife, Lyn.

During their time in Eastern Europe, the DA group visited people in Budapest and Prague, some of whom had lived under both the Nazis and the Soviets in post-1945 Europe. In Budapest, they spent two days with Artur Itsak, who showed them his city and recounted stories about the Battle for Budapest during the winter of 1944-45, as well as an enthralling account of the 1956 Hungarian revolt against the Soviets.

The books they read prior to the trip came alive in Budapest when they saw shell marks from the Soviet-Nazi battle on buildings in Buda; stood on the spot where Hungarians pulled down the massive statue of Stalin; spent an evening with Milhaly Kiss, whose family was forced from their home by the Nazis and then by the Soviets; and visited the Terror House where Hungarian secret police imprisoned and tortured Hungarian citizens.

Three days in Prague were full of similar encounters. After guiding the group through the Hrdcany Castle Hill area, Vera Galiova recounted how she watched her father be taken to prison for being a “capitalist” when she was 11. He died 10 years later in that same prison, just before the 1989 revolution which returned the country to the Hungarian people. The group was mesmerized by Jan Ruman’s captivating story of fleeing with his family to Budapest after the Nazi takeover in 1941, returning to Prague after the war and having to scrape out a living, and finally escaping to the West with his wife after the failed Prague Spring uprising of 1968. A visit to Terezianstadt Ghetto and concentration camp was a sobering reminder of the atrocities which occurred during World War II in Czechoslovakia.

On their return to Durham and during the second week of their Senior Project, the group worked in teams to create “I Was There” history media presentations. Their reports were ample testimony to the idea that meaningful history goes well beyond what one can read in a textbook or hear in a class.

“To a person, they now have a much more abiding appreciation about what life under totalitarianism in post WW II Eastern Europe was like during the second half of the 20th century,” said Dave Gould. “It was a Senior Project experience they will not soon forget.”

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Upper School honored for its support of Special Olympics

Durham Academy Upper School was honored at the Arc of Durham County Awards Banquet held May 18. The Arc presented its Community Collaboration Award to the Upper School for its continuing work in hosting the spring games for Durham County Special Olympics.

This marked the 23rd year that the Spring Games have been held at the Upper School. The Upper School suspends classes for the day so that the entire student body and faculty can be involved in Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics Spring Games involve athletes with developmental disabilities who have trained for a minimum of eight weeks to compete in track and field, softball throwing and play activities. More than 382 athletes participated this spring. These special athletes range in age from five to 21, and all are students in the Durham Public Schools.