Nov 14, 2005 By Christine Haines 5 min read

Five current or former Brownsville Area High School students proved that they could be handy, even while working by hand, during a trip to Virginia to volunteer at the Yorktown Victory Center. The students used an 18th century handcart to move nearly five cords of wood, sewed 18th century clothing by hand, built fences and used flint and steel to spark a fire during 18th century skills competitions.

The students, California University of Pennsylvania freshman Jared Michalsky, Point Park University freshman Travis Neil and Brownsville students Tara Sharpe, Brittany Shupe and Daniel Povinale, spent a long weekend in Yorktown, helping the historic site prepare for the Yorktown Victory Celebration. All five of the students had done previous volunteer work for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation through school and their involvement with the Redstone Living Historians, a local group of historic re-enactors.

Brownsville Area High School is the only school outside of Virginia currently partnering with the foundation. The students, and now some of the alumni, help the foundation prepare for its two major special events each year: Military Through the Ages in March at Jamestown, and the Victory Celebration each October in Yorktown. Brownsville middle school history teacher, Carl Garofalo set up the volunteer opportunity with the foundations Volunteer Services coordinator Elaine Cannon.

“It’s one of the easiest programs to oversee and that is because of the leadership, but it’s also about the level of respect the kids have for the leadership,” Cannon said. “There is nothing we’ve asked them to do that they don’t quickly and efficiently respond to.”

Friday was the preparation day for the event. The students made short work moving and stacking several truckloads of firewood by hand, getting it ready for use by re-enactors and the staff at the military encampment and farm site portrayed at the Victory Center. They all assisted other re-enactment units and vendors set up as they arrived on the grounds.

In the afternoon, the boys moved and rebuilt a rail fence while the girls took the time to make sure their outfits for the rest of the weekend were historically correct. They realized after arriving that the bodices they had brought with them were not from the correct time period.

“Making clothes was a new experience,” Shupe said. “I never actually made anything except a robe before, never anything I could actually wear.”

Shupe proved adept at hand sewing, making an 18th century short gown (a loose-fitting jacket) and set of pockets Thursday afternoon and evening. Sharpe also made a short gown.

The students had a chance to experience 18th century life and share their knowledge with the public Saturday and Sunday, dividing their time between the Redstone Rangers trade table set up by the Redstone Living Historians, and learning the interpretive sites on the farm and in the military camp.

“I enjoyed working with the different re-enactors, especially the little kids and the people who work here,” Sharpe said.

Sharpe and Shupe both helped out in the farm site’s open-hearth kitchen and in the kitchen garden. They also taught 18th century games to visitors and some of the youngest re-enactors. Sharpe dug sweet potatoes out of the garden with one 4-year-old member of the 7th Virginia Regiment. The next day her father came to the kitchen to say that the child had slept with the sweet potato like a baby doll.

Povinale, Neil and Michalsky participated in the 18th century games, including a caber toss, hay toss, fire starting with steel and flint and musket firing. The three came home with a number of ribbons. Povinale was particularly proud of taking second place in the musket firing against seasoned re-enactors. He has been involved with living history for about two years.

“I was surprised at beating all those guys who’ve been re-enacting so long in the musket firing competition. There were 10 and I came in second,” Povinale said.

Povinale fired five shots in 1 minute, 46 seconds.

“The guy in first place beat me by three seconds,” Povinale said.

Neil, who is studying film and video production at Point Park, made sure he had the time to participate in this year’s Victory Celebration.

“This is my second year on a work trip. The previous year I was in the (high school) musical and couldn’t come down,” Neil said.

Neil said he really enjoyed getting to know the staff members at the Victory Center. The feeling is shared by the other students.

“I love coming down here to volunteer. We always have a great time participating in events and helping everybody,” Michalsky said.

“I look forward to it every year. I love the people down here. They treat us well and there’s a lot of history down here,” Povinale said. “I enjoy sharing what I know with the public and helping the foundation with anything they might need, because they are so good to us. You give what you get.”

Cannon said the feeling is mutual.

“It’s fun to watch the kids grow and change. It’s like having an extended family,” Cannon said.