LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX News) — 3 Fayette County students traveled to Normandy, France, after earning spots through a Fayette County Public Schools essay contest.
The group spent eight days in France alongside 29 World War II veterans, visiting historic sites like Omaha Beach and hearing personal stories from the veterans who served there.
The essay contest centered around students describing what freedom means to them.
Maryn Weber, one of the students selected, said the opportunity felt surreal when she first learned she had been chosen.
"When we found out like who got in then they gave us a call and then it was like wow this is like really serious like this is a crazy opportunity," Weber said.
Fellow student Finn Callaway described his reaction simply.
"I was like, oh my God, I won," Callaway said.
Callaway said the trip exceeded his expectations.
"I'm very thankful that I get this opportunity to go to France and see all these amazing people and I didn't really know what to expect, but whenever I saw the like itinerary for what we were gonna do, I was like wow this is once in a lifetime opportunity," Callaway said.
After returning home to Lexington, the students said they learned more overseas than they ever could in a classroom.
Weber reflected on how the experience changed the way she thinks about history.
"I think it's really easy when we look back at history to see numbers and to see developments and to say, you know, in my history class at high school it was D-Day was a big turning point in World War II and then it was the end of the war," Weber said.
Callaway said experiencing history firsthand made all the difference.
"You learn it and then you experience it firsthand and it's like miles apart and I love that I got to learn it firsthand," Callaway said.
Hearing personal stories from veterans made the lessons of World War II feel less like dates in a textbook and more like lived experiences.
Weber said the trip served as a powerful reminder of what is at stake in honoring those who served.
"It was really a big reminder of the costs of war and the duty that we have to make sure that we remember and we respect and honor those that have come before us," Weber said.
Callaway said seeing the veterans on the very beaches where they once served left a lasting impression.
"Seeing veterans that are 100 years old and plus, seeing how they served on those beaches and how they impacted that country and how the French treated them, it was just amazing to see," Callaway said.
