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This documentary film project by Heather Jurgenson,
a 10th grade student at Uniontown, Kansas High School in 1996,
began a beautiful story. Heather became friends with Elizabeth
Eckford of the Little Rock Nine and produced a video documentary. She, along with two young men of the high school, would bring
about a reunion between Elizabeth and a white student who befriended
her forty years earlier.
The U.S. History textbook, The Americans by McDougal Littell, has the following in the teacher's edition:
The experience at Central High School traumatized Elizabeth Eckford, who dropped from public view after 1958. In 1996, she reappeared in the news when Heather Jurgensen, a 16-year-old student at a rural Kansas high school, convinced Eckford to be the subject of a video for the National History Day competition. After turning down media interviews for decades, Eckford decided to help Jurgensen. Jurgensen's video became a national finalist in the competition.
There will be much more on this inspiring story.
This performance was written and produced
by Jeremy Johnston and David Foster. These two Uniontown
High School students accompanied Heather Jurgenson on her trip
to Little Rock. While interviewing Elizabeth Eckford, Jeremy
asked if there were any white students who befriended her.
Elizabeth immediately answered, Ken Reinhardt. She had not
seen Ken since 1957-58.
The boys began their search and found Ken and his
wife Judy in Louisville, Kentucky. Ken had no idea that
Elizabeth or any of the Little Rock Nine considered him any different
than the rest of the students.
Ken fell in love with the project and loaned his
Central High School yearbook and letter sweater to the boys for
the drama. MORE LATER.....
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