Sarah, Senior

"This oral history project has taught me a lot about history from a personal perspective—talking to the people rather than from a history book kind of perspective. And it’s made me see the different periods of history better, in a personal way. It’s also taught me a lot of typing skills and better communication skills. I find that a lot of the time it’s hard for younger people to talk to elders, because bridging the time gap can be difficult.

Also for me, being a senior, it feels good to be able to give something back to my community that I leave—just leaving something behind, for them to know that their stories will be preserved in history.

The most significant experience of all the interviews was probably when Bud Johnson just on the spot made up a song for me. It made me just see the greatness of all the people we interviewed, the talent that would be forgotten if we didn’t write them down. So it just made me feel really good that his history was preserved."

The Voices of the Valley team has produced five books over the years. Each of the books can be purchased from the Anderson Valley High School. Click on any picture to see the fully displayed cover and read the book's introduction.

	Bruce Levene, an author of many local history books, interviewed my uncle, Bill Mendosa, in 1976 for his book entitled Mendocino Remembered...(more)
	“I just want to close my door and teach!” is a common complaint of many secondary teachers who find that the preparatory, administrative and extracurricular duties of teaching often eclipse actual time spent with students...(more)
	During the past four years and three volumes of Voices of the Valley, I have had the unique opportunity and privilege of hearing the stories of forty-seven of Anderson Valley’s residents during thirty-eight pre-interviews and recording sessions...(more)
	The writing of the introductions of Voices of the Valley Volumes I-III has given me the opportunity to articulate many of the educational and social values of the project...(more)
	Thank you for purchasing Voices of the Valley, Volume V! It is through sales of books and compact disc sets that we are able to pay for the printing of subsequent volumes...(more)

To purchase one or more of our books..