Joseph Refinski, a history teacher at East Orange STEM Academy, has been named the 2022 Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation. Refinski is working on an oral history project on the Vietnam era with his students. He is an avid visitor to the museum and memorial and has brought classes to visit the site whenever possible.
“There is no space quite like the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Museum,” Refinski said. “It encompasses all of the necessary ingredients to provide a wonderful learning experience, and deep reflective areas to ponder the whys and hows of the conflict. It’s always a favorite with my students.”
The Vietnam Era Museum is the first of its kind in the United States. Dedicated in September 1998, the museum provides political, cultural and historical context for the memorial. It helps visitors gain an understanding of the conflict in Southeast Asia and the surrounding political strife in America and its lasting impact on American culture, with an emphasis on experiences in New Jersey.
The Vietnam Era Museum enables all visitors to learn about myriad forces that produced the conflict abroad and the dissension at home. It provides an atmosphere where appropriate materials and exhibits help visitors understand the significance of the memorial, the reality of the conflict, and the social, political and cultural complexities of the Vietnam Era.
To learn more about the memorial and the museum, visit njvvmf.org.