Fire Island Oral History Project

Since 2006, Woodhull sixth graders have interviewed longtime Fire Island residents in order to establish an oral history of Fire Island. The school district and BOCES collaborator Deborah Gerken have helped pair the students with "elders" from the community, whom the students interview about their life and experiences on Fire Island. The interviews are filmed by the students and preserved in an archive, along with statements from the elders written in their own handwriting, which is presented publicly from time to time. The collected knowledge about Fire Island has revealed fascinating stories and a vivid picture of life throughout the island's recent history.