They had been there for over an hour, laboring through the frost of the early November morning. With their task complete, a group of 10 aging veterans faced the northern wall of the Vietnam Memorial in a salute, staring at the reflection of the sunrise in the black granite. Behind them, students from Winston Churchill High School watched the scene unfold in silence.
Saturday, Nov. 7, marked a special occasion for more than 20 students from the local high school, who worked alongside the Silver Spring chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America to wash the wall etched with over 58,000 names that commemorate fallen soldiers.
"For the Churchill students, it’s an experience to remember," said Bill Gray, a former platoon leader in Vietnam who joins his chapter on the first Saturday of each month from April to November to shower the wall with soap and water. To the Churchill students, the feeling was mutual.
"We’re interacting with the veterans and seeing how much this means to them," said senior Becca Murphy, who alongside other cast members found cleaning the wall appropriate in light of Veteran’s Day.
The student participants were exclusively members of the Churchill Symphony Orchestra and Showstoppers Choir, who will be performing the musical Ms. Saigon this Dec. 11 and 12. The story chronicles the forsaken romance of Vietnamese girl and an American soldier during the war, exploring mature and realistic themes of the time period.
Choral and Music Director Carlos Barillo searched for outlets to increase his cast’s comprehension of the social and historical implications from the conflict that spanned more than 15 years and greatly influenced American culture. Barillo acknowledges his students are among the young generation who did not witness the direct impact of the Vietnam War. So, his performers exchanged their instruments for long-handled brushes in what Barillo describes as an opportunity to give back to the community while forming a deeper understanding of the war.
"It’s more than just a show, it’s based on real events," said senior cast member Sara Arizona Bonner. "Seeing the tens of thousands of names really hit home."

THE PROJECT was not mandatory for his class, but Barillo said he received a positive participation response from his students. Parents worked to coordinate the morning’s wall washing by contacting the Vietnam Veterans of America, who readily agreed to the offer for help. Saturday marked the first time a group of high school students assisted in washing the wall, although the concept is not a new one. Since 1995, local chapters of the Vietnam Veterans of America wash the memorial that acquires the fingerprints of thousands of monthly visitors.
Gray said his team typically arrives at the memorial at sunrise to complete the task before the day’s influx of visitors. But Gray said it is also an irreplaceable time to soak up the tranquility of the memorial before the mass of traffic consumes Constitution Avenue and the nation’s capital begins it daily bustle.
Students agreed, and didn’t mind the early hours of their service. Senior Liam Regan awoke to a 4 a.m. alarm, finding a sense of peace and a personal connection in the sunrise. During a break from washing, Regan searched the directory and found his great-grandfather’s name among the thousands engraved into the memorial.
"I found my family member," said Regan. "It’s a good day to look back on his sacrifice for our country."

UNDERSTANDING THIS sacrifice was exactly the response Barillo hope to instill in his students. A running theme of the show, the director and parents of the teenagers knew the students would walk away from their task with more than just soapy sneakers.
"The morning creates a level of understanding in conjunction with the veterans to show our kids the meaning of respect and sacrifice," said choir parent John Melhus, who recently returned from his own year-long tour in Iraq with the Department of Agriculture. "It’s hard to fully appreciate what the military does for us until you see it yourself."
The cast of Ms. Saigon found themselves appreciating their show and the influence military sacrifice after just two hours work on Saturday morning. Regan said he knows he will be prone to thinking about the encompassing history during the upcoming performance. For the students, Saigon is a proven lesson of combining history and art.
"It’s definitely not just another musical," said Bonner.