With remarkable agility, 98-year-old Jeanne Gibson nimbly snuck down the side steps of an auditorium before gracefully easing into her chair facing the crowd of museum go-ers and Mid-Pen students. She’s dressed in a red polka-dot blouse and a National Park’s Volunteer vest covered in pins and badges commemorating her time spent as a Rosie the Riveter during World War II. On stage, volunteer Tammy Brumley–known affectionately as “The Rosie Wrangler”–provided context on the historical significance of the Rosies to the crowd. Jeanne then took the microphone and began to tell her story.

Last Friday, Mid-Pen’s Gender Studies Class took a field trip to the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park museum in Richmond. Students wandered back in time to the early 1940’s, when the city was a bustling industrial hub teaming with women and men from all over the country looking to aid in the war effort. Surrounded by World War II propaganda and historical exhibitions, students discovered how a city so close to their own was an integral part of the war’s success, producing up to three war ships a day. “I had no idea how important Richmond was to the war,” shared Senior Anna S. 

That success of Richmond’s wartime production would not have been possible without the courageous women who traveled to Richmond and other Western ports like it. Donning coveralls, thick gloves, and the iconic polka dot bandanas, Rosie the Riveters became iconic symbols that proved women’s capability in the workforce. Gender Studies teacher Tara Theobald-Anderson sees immense value in taking their class every year to meet the Rosies, saying “As beneficial as it is to talk about these women in class and study the lasting impacts of their efforts from an academic perspective, it’s so much more important to see these women and hear their stories in person.” 

Soon after turning 18 in 1944, Jeanne left her home in Minnesota for Seattle, Washington to work as a welder helping to build WWII destroyers. She described the challenges and triumphs of her time as a welder, emphasizing how she proved to herself—and to the men around her—that women can achieve anything they set their minds to. After the war, Jeanne refused to accept unequal pay, quitting two jobs where she faced gender-based discrimination. Undaunted, she went on to earn a PhD and a pilot’s license, continuing to break barriers throughout her life. 

Junior Izze G. told Jeanne “Thank you for everything that you did. Women like you opened doors for me and others to be able to work.” Jeanne responded by emphasizing the importance of education and urging students to “stay in school!” The moment created a powerful bridge between generations: the students inspired by the resilience of those who came before them. As Tara observed, “These women are literally living history. This trip every year gives the students the opportunity to remember how recent women were denied basic rights and how much progress women have made in such a relatively short period of time.”

Jeanne’s story illustrated that being a Rosie didn’t end with the war. For many of the Rosies, it became a lifelong commitment to courage, resilience, and purpose. Jeanne’s words reminded our Mid-Pen students that the strength and determination of past generations can shape and inspire their own paths. Her firsthand experiences offered a depth and authenticity that no textbook could provide, empowering students to carry forward the values of perseverance and equality into their own life.