As America approaches its 250th year anniversary, the Social Studies Department at Papillion La Vista South High School is finding ways to connect history lessons through acts of service. Through gravestone cleanings, Memorial Day flag placings, and school-wide activities, staff members say the goal is to not only celebrate the nation’s history, but also encourage students to reflect on the sacrifices made by others to give them the lives they have today.

Raymond Keller, the chair of the Social Studies department and also a teacher at Papillion La Vista South, shared his story about what inspired him to have such a crucial role in celebrating American history.

“As a 5-year-old, my parents took me to see the Freedom Train exhibit that had stopped in Omaha. It was a traveling exhibit of American History. I was enamored by the idea that so many other people had lived their lives before me and I wanted to learn more about them.”

Now 50 years later, Keller hopes students can continue to recognize the importance of learning from America’s past while honoring those who helped shape it. As part of the school’s America 250 celebration, Keller and the Papillion La Vista South Social Studies Department organized volunteer events such as gravestone cleanings at the Omaha National Cemetery and upcoming Memorial Day flag placements. 

“I thought it would be a great way to honor America in our 250th year, by honoring the memory of those who served to protect and preserve America during their lifetimes,” Keller said.

The first gravestone cleaning brought together around 50 Papio South students and staff members, contributing to the more than 200 volunteers overall. Among these volunteers was Cody Redford, another teacher from Papillion La Vista South, who attended the event alongside his son and retired Air Force father, making it a three-generation experience centered on service and remembrance. Redford said he hoped the experience would teach his son the importance of sacrifice and honoring those who came before him.

“Our life is short,” Redford said. “There are so many people that have come before us, there are so many people that will come after us, and it just puts things into perspective of what’s important.”

Redford noted that being physically present in a place like Omaha National Cemetery helps slow the experience down and makes the stories of the service members more meaningful.

“When you get outside of a volunteer opportunity, it slows things down and really allows students to soak in what they’re doing. They can see the visual of all the headstones, and individual names, and what times they served.”

Both Keller and Redford said experiences like these help students engage with history in a way that goes beyond textbooks and classroom discussions. By taking part in service and projects, they believe students gain a more personal understanding of the sacrifices behind historical events. For Keller, this hands-on connection is a key part of the school’s broader America 250 celebration.

“The experiment is simple: Can we self govern? In our democratic republic, that question has not always been a for sure yes. There have been many times it almost fell apart. It takes work. It takes participation. It takes good people who care,” Keller said. If we stop caring, working or participating, then we will fail at this experiment.”

Together, both educators hope the events encourage students to see history not as something distant, but as something they are actively connected to. Through volunteering, remembrance, and reflection, they aim to show that honoring the past is also a way of shaping the future.

America 250 Volunteer Opportunities