Belgian guest brings WWII to life for American students

When Tiftarea Academy teacher Natalie Rippy assigned The Diary of Anne Frank to her English classes, her students never imagined they would have a visitor who would travel over 4,400 miles to share his own family’s experiences during World War Two, reports the Tifton Gazette. Ivan Steenkiste, from Deinze, shared his knowledge of the war and his parents’ experiences with the students in Georgia. His father spent many of his teenage years in hiding when the Nazis occupied Belgium so he could avoid having to work for their government. He shared pictures and stories from the war and current photos of the same locations in his country and throughout Europe. Instrumental in getting a road in Belgium named after Tifton’s own Colonel Harold Cohen, Steenkiste spoke about the Battle of the Bulge and the liberation by US forces. His presentation included details about life before, during and after the war for these soldiers, civilians and his own family.