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NCRA members exceed Veterans Day challenge

NCRF has announced that NCRA members exceeded the challenge to submit 3,500 oral histories of American war veterans to the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project by Veterans Day 2014. The Foundation reports that 3,515 to date have been turned over to the Library of Congress.

The VHP program was launched by the Library of Congress to collect the stories of American war veterans by recording and transcribing interviews with them. The final transcripts are then submitted to the Library to be archived for future generations to read. Court reporters from around the country have actively participated in this program for more than a decade under NCRF’s Oral Histories Program.

“NCRA members are passionate about the VHP program as witnessed by the overwhelming response to meet and exceed the challenge of 3,500 interviews transcribed by Veterans Day. The Foundation is grateful to all who participated to make this happen including state associations, schools, individual members, state bar associations, and veterans groups,” said Irene Cahill, director of research and NCRF programs.

“These interviews are a vital part of our nation’s history, and the VHP is a powerful and priceless way court reporters can help preserve them for future generations. The Foundation looks forward to NCRA members to continue to reach out to our nation’s veterans,” Cahill added.

“We are excited about the members’ response to the challenge this year. In past years, NCRF has submitted an average of 325 transcripts per year. Thanks to the overwhelming efforts of the membership, NCRF has submitted more than 300 transcripts in half that time this year,” said B.J. Shorak, NCRF deputy executive director.

Across the nation Veterans Day was marked by Veterans History Project events. Groups that reported hosting events include: the Oregon Court Reporters Association, which partnered with the Oregon State Bar’s Military and Veterans Law Section to hold events in three locations; the Iowa Court Reporters Association, which partnered with the Des Moines Area Community College School of Court Reporting; the Hawaii Court Reporters and Captioners Association; the Michigan Association of Professional Court Reporters Association, which partnered with the Ingham County Department of Veterans Affairs and the Ingham County Circuit Court; and the Pennsylvania Court Reporters Association, which partnered with the Orleans Technical Institute in Philadelphia. Other VHP events that helped collect transcribed interviews include: official court reporters from York County, Pa.; volunteers from the Illinois State Library; the Illinois Court Reporters Association, which teamed up with the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Lake County; students from Anoka Technical College, Anoka, Minn.; and court reporters from Paradigm Reporting, Minneapolis, Minn.

NCRF has partnered with the Library of Congress for more than 10 years to help generate transcripts of interviews with American war veterans for the Oral Histories Program. Professional court reporters can earn 0.25 Professional Development Credits for each transcript they complete and can earn up to a maximum of 1.0 PDC during each three-year certification period. Court reporting students can also earn a complimentary 2015 student membership in NCRA by transcribing two interviews through the Foundation’s Student Initiatives Program.

Read more about NCRF’s Oral Histories and Veterans History projects.