WHS Reunion, 2009

Wurzburg American High School Reunion, June, 2009
by Carol O'Donnell Knych

Bob and I just returned from Las Vegas and another WHS Reunion that couldn’t be beat. There’s something special about reunions for the dependents of our military stationed overseas.

Bob Manwaring organized our gathering,reaching out to students between reunions, reuniting people lost to each other over decades. He motivated alumni to join us from as far away as Australia and Turkey. His photos of people attending over the years, mixed with photos from old year books, and the people present hit the big screen, a revelation to me,I can tell you.

In 2006 many of the attendees were in sales or computers. This year more of those attending teach or are in medical careers. Why those careers, we asked each other? Our guess was our excellent foresight and teaching. Besides that, our students know how to work with others while speaking Standard English.

We taught them concrete facts--they deal well with the stress of testing--and they know how to deal with bureaucracies.

DoDDS students gained access to computers early and many families owned P C's long before their Stateside cousins. We teachers insisted they write well and edit themselves, and painful as that was, once they learned that standard they stuck to it--if you don't believe me, see how literate they are on Facebook.

The military ensures their young can relate to strangers of any race or religion. Our students realize young that brains and good manners trump wealth and rank. They present themselves in a warm and charming manner to whomever they meet, though they don't suffer snobs gladly. They can remind a put-down-artist of their place in the universe with cutting good humor.


Employers love them, and so do we. What a thrill it is to hear how they've struggled to reach their goals. The enthusiasm and regard they showed us was heart warming. How fortunate we feel we spent the majority of our working lives among them. Seeing nearly 200 Wurzburg Brats assembled in Las Vegas last week was a bonus beyond compare.

Repeatedly we were told that we softened their struggle as they found themselves far away from home,in need of advocates. Aunt Maggie or Uncle Joe might have stepped in, in their hometown, but in DoDDS we teachers and counselors stepped into that void.

Whenever former students spotted someone who nurtured them, they'd throw wide their arms. Jerry thought I wouldn't remember him, but I knew the kid who had to have his father called his first day at WHS. It seems he threatened 2 teachers, just to get his foot in the door. At our conference Dad said, "You don't understand. I have your Passport and if you don't behave you'll be baby-sitting--there's no law that says you have to attend school here." He not only changed his ways, he met Alicia, who kept him clear of trouble by walking him to classes. She even got him to run for class office. They married and have 3 accomplished children. Jerry works with youths today. Students like him let us know our efforts produced results.

One young man hugged me and said he hoped to return and see me, “At the next reunion, the next and the next.” He would have gone on, but I had to inform him I was 72 now and not likely make all those “next’s.”

I wished him well and reminded myself that I might have earned more in another career, but I doubt I could have reached this age with anything of more value then the good wishes of the students I taught or the outstanding colleagues I enjoyed along the way. When I hear young "educated" people bumbling through facts they should know, I thank God our kids were exposed to teachers like West, Fraize, Renner, Bach, Sullivan, Fukui, Johnson, Flom or the innumerable others who whipped countless teens into the knowledgeable citizens who represent us so well today.

My teaching DoDDS students kept me present, awake, and aware every day of my working life, no matter what else swirled around me. That experience counts as an incomparable treasure to me and to all the teachers, counselors and administrators privileged to influence the lives of our military dependents. For that we are grateful.