If you’ve found yourself saying or thinking, “Young people just don’t care about history anymore,” or “Kids these days don’t understand the sacrifices that their ancestors made,” then this program is for you! Caedyn Huston is a 15-year-old sophomore at Mid-Prairie High School in Wellman who has a passion for military history and more specifically WWII, and he aims to show that young people CAN and DO still have a passion for history. He will be speaking at the English Valleys History Center on Sunday, September 22, at 2:00 p.m. at 108 N Main St. in North English.

He has taken this passion to the next level by participating in living history and re-enactment events where he can better understand what daily life was like for a WWII soldier. Caedyn discovered at a very young age that he had some relatives who were active in WWII. He’s proud to say that he had a GGG Uncle who is the most decorated soldier in the history of Tama County (Harry Shefchik), and he also has a GG Uncle who was killed in action (Charles Polton).

Caedyn’s family connection to these soldiers sparked an interest in learning more about them and their history. Caedyn researched all 54 of the servicemen from Washington County Iowa who died while serving their country during WWII. His research culminated in a 150-page book that details the stories of these men.

Caedyn used this book as a Citizenship and Civil Engagement project through 4-H, and it was selected for this year’s Iowa State Fair. Caedyn was surprised to learn his book was then selected as one of ten “Future Discovery Awards.” This award was voted on by faculty members from Iowa State University. This prestigious award also comes with a $500 scholarship to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University.

Caedyn’s program is sure to have something for everyone. He plans to wear his full WWII combat uniform and will spend time sharing information about what daily life was like as a soldier. He will also be sharing his book on Washington County’s WWII Heroes, and he’ll highlight 2-3 of the most interesting and harrowing stories that he discovered while writing his book.

Caedyn’s not new to presenting, as he has done several programs with other organizations in the past and has been selected for the Iowa State Fair on three occasions. Don’t let his age fool you, as we think you’ll be impressed with the knowledge he brings to the table.

Everyone is invited to the EV History Center free of charge. Donations will be accepted.