Posted by Jason Redcay on May 26, 2014 in Press | 0 comments

Dennis Denenberg has touched the lives of many students, both in the area and throughout the country. A career educator, “Dr. D” as he is known to friends and students , retired in August 2002 from elementary education department at Millersville University. His career in education also includes teaching at Manheim Central School District serving as an elementary school principal in that district and serving as an assistant superintendent at Manheim Township School District. He now has a second career –discussing the important of integrating heroes into the school curriculum with educators. “When i started to talk about heroes in 1990 i had no idea it would turn into a second career. I may be retired but i am still teaching– the great thing is that i have no papers to grade,” Dennis says. He witnessed  first- hand the fact that educators struggled with history education at all grade levels. When he grew up there were pictures of heroes such as Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein in the classroom, by the late 80s they had been replaced by poster of cartoon characters such as the TV character ALF. This inspired him to write  an article entitled “De-ALF” the Classroom”, which was published in Teachers Magazine in December 1989  ” There’s a real lack of heroes in our country today. The number one reason kids don’t have a heroes is that they don’t see them. My mission is to get real heroes into the classroom on a regular basis,” he explains. He’s co-authored a book “50 American Hero Every Kid Should Meet” with Lorraine Roscoe. Heroes mentioned in the book include Walt Disney, Jimmy Carter, Yo-Yo Ma, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Jonas Salk, Benjamin Franklin, and Elie Wiesel.  The book has sold more than 50,000 copies. So far he’s been to 38 states with his presentation and has spoken to more than 75,000 people. Last year he presented 37 programs. He stresses that he speaks only to adults. ” It’s important to show educators, administrators and parents that real heroes can inspire kids, ” he states. Dennis    describes his program as something that’s both entertaining and educational. He carries a lot of props including a variety of hats, and he dresses in Colonial costume. ” My intention is to entertain and educate  —   the two should always be linked together. I always tell people that Vaudeville is not dead.” he says with a smile. He starts his preparation by dedicating it to his sister — Diana Denenberg Durand, who passed away in October 2007 after an 18 year battle with cancer. He describes her as a real hero. He’s also been inspired by his parents — by their love and devotion to each other and their family. In September 2002 he honored one of his own heroes — Alvin Hildebrand, his eighth grade history teacher at Manheim Central...

Posted by Jason Redcay on May 24, 2014 in Press | 0 comments

National and local every day heroes were honored and a special announcement was made at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Day Thursday morning.  Three thousand area school children, along with dignitaries, scholars and government officials attended the annual event to pay tribute ti Dwight D. Eisenhower, soldiers and other every day heroes who have made an impact on the lives of others. School children from Abilene and other surrounding districts packed the Eisenhower Center grounds as Dan Holt welcomed the audience.  In a special announcement, Julie Lorenz , director of public affairs for the Kansas Department of  Transportation, announced, on behalf of Governor Kathleen  Sebelius, that a building in Topeka will be named after Dwight D. Eisenhower. The former Security Group building, known as the Harrison Center in Topeka, will be named the Dwight D. Eisenhower State office building.  Lorenz said Eisenhower’s name was chosen  for the building because state officials wanted someone who was a well known around the world and who had made a significant contribution to transportation. The former president fit the criteria and is known as the father of the great interstate system, Interstate 70. Lorenz  quoted a poem by James Griffin, which was written about the highway system. “Roads, like leaders, have always inspired poets and writers,” she said.  Dan Holt introduced four members of the Easy Company, 406th Regiment, 101st Airborne– Lynn          “Buck  Compton, Forest Guth, Don Malarkey and William Wingett, along with wingett’s brother Kenneth Wingett, who later served with his brother in the 82nd Airborne. The group of men were heroes  of World War II and were also the subjects of the famed mini series, Band of brothers. along with Dwight D. Eisenhower Day, the men will the Eisenhower dinner on Oct. 15 at the Wreath Laying Ceremony on Oct. 16. Holt said the four men represent all men and women who served in the military. Merrill eisenhower  Atwater , great grandson of the former president, also spoke on behalf of the men. Atwater asked the question, ” what is heroism ?”  Heroism is the act of putting yourself in harm’s way and giving up your life for others,” he said. ” My great grandfather was like that.” Atwater said his great grandfather wrote his great grandmother and told her that he would  take full responsibility for the battle of Normandy and what happened. He would not want himself  thought as a hero,” Atwater said. He believed his troops were the heroes.” As Atwater pointed at Compton, Guth, malarkey and Wingett he said, “these four men make heroes.” Dr. Dennis Denenberg, professor emeritus  Millersville  University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Andy Thompkins, Kansas commissioner of education and MM1 First class Petty Officer Steven Eddy of the USS Eisenhower also spoke to the crowd about what kind of person a hero is. Denenberg described Dwight D. Eisenhower as a man who wore...

Posted by Jason Redcay on Apr 6, 2014 in Press |

Former professor honors sister with effort MILLERSVILLE, Pa. — Oct 18, 2012 Dennis Denenberg, who once taught at Millersville University, has come up with a way to educate others about breast cancer. Breast-a-ville is held on campus to raise awareness about early detection and breast cancer research. He stared it two years ago in honor of his sister, Diana. “My dear sister battled breast cancer for 18 long years. Never complained, never asked, ‘Why me?’ and my efforts to promote breast cancer awareness are in her memory and to help others hopefully not go through the experience that Diana experienced,” Denenberg said. Denenberg also created a memorial garden in honor of his sister and will raise money to make the program available to other campuses. He will give a special performance Sunday at the Ware Center in downtown Lancaster called Hurray for...

Posted by Jason Redcay on Apr 6, 2014 in Press |

Denenberg ’69 Cultivates the Right Kind of Hero Worship You can keep your superman.”Nothing would be happening if it weren’t for real people doing things”says Denenberg, and making “things” happen. He travels around the country talking to teachers, maintains and impressive set of gardens in his Pennsylvania home and has written a successful book for children about the importance of having heroes. Written with Lorraine Roscoe, 50 American Heros Every Kid Should Meet is full of historic figures who accomplished something great in real life- without the aid of radioactive spiders or magical powers. The book names a wide range of heros, from Bill Cosby to Albert Einstein, with Rosa Parks and Roberto Clemente in between. Denenburg’s heroes are not the comic-book characters and professional athletes we so hear about: he includes baseball’s Clemenate for his humanitarian work more so than for his achievements on the field. When Denenberg goes on a speaking tour, though his audience changes from kids to their teachers. “There are so many uninteresting speakers. My biggest job in the first 5-10 minutes is to convince them I’m different,” he says. One way of doing that is with his secret weapon a dynamite Eleanor Roosevelt impression sure to wake up even the most inattentive and jaded educator. In the process, he shows teachers ways to incorporate real heros into their curriculum. “If you are teaching an environment unit in curriculum, why not have ( environmentalist and Silent Spring author) Rachel Carson an a guide or John Muir?” he says. Denenberg asks teachers to use heroes to help students gain perspective on a topic, rather than simply memorizing fact. ” I firmly believe learning should be challenging, but it should be fun.” he states. His work combines rhetorical skills with a strong grasp of American history, two things he studied while at William and Mary. Denenberg’s knack for public speaking comes in part from  two years  in the William and Mary Theatre, but his love for history predates in his years in Williamsburg. Denenburg knows his own hero is without a second’s hesitation: Thomas Jefferson. The opportunity to share an alma mater with the nations third president was too strong to resist. For years, Denenberg maintained a classroom of his own, but retired from teaching when his heros work took off. According to him, there wasn’t enough to do all of his various projects well, and he’s too much of a perfectionist to let something slip. He stays so busy, though, he can’t help but ask: “Am i really retired?” In addition to his hero-related projects,Denenberg maintains an elaborate set of gardens at his lancaster Pa., home. The first time he mowed his acre of grass, he says, he didn’t  to mow it over and over. he turned it his “other great passion” of gardening and his horticultural work has since been featured on television and...

Posted by Jason Redcay on Apr 6, 2014 in Press | 0 comments

If you ask a group of kid who their heroes are,most will probably name cartoon characters. Maybe a few will tell you their hero is a singer, actor or sport figure. But Manheim native Dr. Dennis Den isn’t satisfied with the fame or fantasy being the only ways one becomes a hero in kids’ impressionable minds. Co-author of book 50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet(www.heroes4us.com), Denenberg hopes to replace the comic- book creations and movie-theater characters with what he calls ” Real heroes”- people who, while they’re not perfect, make the world a better place- including inventor Thomas Alva Edison, cellist YO_YO Ma, humanitarian and diplomat Eleanor Roosevelt, and medical pioneer Jonas Sulk. The book is Hands-on:Every hero has an activity associated with him or her, and books are recommended for further reading. “The book is intended to whet a child’s apatite about a hero, so that the child says, I want to learn more about, say, Elizabeth Blackwell, America’s first female doctor,” says Denenberg. The original idea was sparked when Denenberg wrote an editorial piece, titled ” De-ALF the Classroom” for a teaching magazine in 1989. It was one of those light-bulb experiences” he says. ” I got to see a lot  of elementrary classrooms across the area, and what I’D see overwhelmingly were cartoon figures – where are the  real people?  From that one page article, Denenberg, who worked in the field of education for 30 years, including 15 years as a professor in Elementary and Early Childhood Department at Millersville University, now has a second career.  It has led him to 37 states and counting, where he leads insightful, fun seminars for teachers and parents, encouraging them to make the stories of heroes part of their daily lives. ” If  this is going to work, it has to be  woven into the curriculm.” he says. Using  props and costumes, Denenberg Portrays characters such as Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt, bringing their stories to life. ” The most distant, remote person is hooked by Eleanor .” he says. Denenberg also feels it’s a shame that we seem to hide away the stories of people whose positive actions have stood the test of time. ” You ask typical young person who Jonas Salk  is and they don’t have a clue,” he says. ” you may not wlaking today if it weren’t for Dr. Jonas Salk – he found vaccine that prevented Polio.” Real heroes, says Denenberg can be an inspiration for kids to never give on their own goals. Following the examples of real people, they can say, ” I can be like that.”  ” you mean Elizabeth  Blackwell persevered and became a doctor, even though nobody wanted her to become a doctor?” he asks rhetorically. “that’s exactly right.” So, who is Denenberg’s favorite hero? Thomas Jefferson, ” because of his mind,”he says. ” he just wondered...

Posted by Jason Redcay on Apr 6, 2014 in Press |

By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY Every child needs “great men and women to admire and imitate,” but most children would find it difficult to name more than just a handful of heroes, say Dennis Denenberg and Lorraine Roscoe, co-authors of 50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet(Millbrook Press). The book offers mini-biographies of heroes as diverse as journalist Ida B. Wells, Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. USA TODAY chatted with Denenberg by e-mail.       Harry S. Truman is one of only two presidents to make the book — Jimmy Carter is the second.  By Byron Rollins, AP Q: A lot has been written about why children don’t know much about U.S. history. Why should they focus on heroes — and how will that help them understand history? A: Learning about real heroes can help focus on the story of our past. Too often history is presented as a mere compilation of facts; emphasizing people and their achievements can draw students of any age into history’s narrative. All of us love to read about other people, but we frequently fail to guide kids into reading about the good people who have made — and are still making — our world a better place. Q: You make several interesting choices: Tecumseh, I.M. Pei, John Muir and George Marshall, among others. What were your criteria and how many “heroes” did you start with? A: My co-author, Lorraine Roscoe, had an initial list of 125, and mine was 175. Narrowing to 50 was incredibly difficult, especially when we reached 55 — who would be the last five to go? We wanted to help kids see that heroes are both male and female, from any race, religion, ethnic group, and from any field of human endeavor. Heroes are not perfect, but their positive achievements make them noteworthy. By the way, we show kids you don’t have to be dead to be a hero — we include several living Americans. Q: There are only six presidents on the list, and two of them are Harry S Truman and Jimmy Carter. Don’t you have some explaining to do? A: Simply being president doesn’t make a person heroic. We selected ones we felt were unique and whose accomplishments and/or personal traits were exemplary. Obviously, the choice with modern leaders is more controversial since we don’t have the benefit of historical perspective. Trust me, if we are able to write a sequel —50 More American Heroes— we already have several presidents on that list. Q: You also make a provocative choice by including Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee but not Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. A: General Lee has certainly generated discussion among audience members in my speaking engagements. I have been asked, “Why do you have a traitor in the book, and even on the...