LETTERS HOME TO HERO STREET PROVIDES LESSONS TO PBS LEARNINGMEDIA

MOLINE, IL -- "Letters Home to Hero Street" is now available to teachers nationwide through PBS LearningMedia, which provides access to thousands of free, innovative, standards-aligned and curriculum-targeted digital resources. The curriculum was created with the help of Illinois Public Media and is available at pbslearningmedia.org.

"Letters Home to Hero Street," produced by WQPT and Fourth Wall Films, earned a Mid America EMMY nomination, as well as awards at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. "Letters Home to Hero Street" explores the story of Frank Sandoval, one of the Hero Street Eight. Sandoval was born in 1920 and grew up on Second Street. His father worked for the Rock Island Railroad, and Sandoval and his brother, Joe, worked at various jobs to provide for their family. He entered the U.S. Army Oct. 3, 1942, serving in North Burma with Co. C 209 Engineer Combat Battalion. Sandoval was listed as "killed in action" near the Irrawaddy River June 26, 1944. His brother was killed in Germany April 14, 1945.

"We are grateful for the generous support of Bob Ontiveros, Matthew Casillas, LULAC Council No. 10 of Davenport and Darryl Morin for making funding available for the creation of the 'Letters Home' lesson plans," said Mary Pruess WQPT general manager. "We are also grateful to the Sandoval family for their assistance."

WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University.

###