Youth Civic Pitch Showcase: How Amber Cannon is Preserving Local Oral History
“As technology becomes more of a norm, people don’t really sit down and have conversations like, ‘What was your childhood like? What was growing up during this event like?'”
In This Episode
In this episode of The Forgottonia Project, host Joe Brewer sits down with Amber Cannon, a 2026 graduate at Cuba High School and winning entry creator in our first-ever Unforgettable Forgottonians: Youth Civic Pitch Challenge. Amber discusses her award-winning senior project inspired by her work indexing the Tales of Two Rivers local history series, which led her to hosting an intergenerational storytelling showcase at the local Senior Center. Tune in to hear how simple, student-led gatherings can bridge generational gaps and preserve vital oral histories before they fade away.
Key Points
Bridging the Generational Gap: How modern technology and busy schedules often prevent younger and older generations from sharing personal family and community histories.
Low-Cost, High-Impact Community Building: How meaningful local events don’t require massive budgets; just a shared space and a willingness to listen.
Preserving Unwritten History: The importance of oral history research and capturing local stories—like the moving story of the local Vaughn twins in World War II—that are absent from standard history textbooks.
Additional Questions for Discussion
What is an unwritten local story or family memory in your town that deserves to be recorded and preserved for future generations?
How can schools and community centers better collaborate to give young people regular opportunities to learn directly from local elders?
Why do you think oral history is particularly vulnerable in rural communities, and what practical steps can local residents take to protect it?
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