"How they gonna find out what went on during the time us guys were in the service, I mean World War II and Korea and Vietnam, all of them," said veteran Harold Markway.

Markway is a great storyteller. He's got a story or two about his life in the Navy during World War II.

"The waves were coming clear over the ship and we took some pretty big rolls," said Markway, a Post 1103 Honor Guard Member.

High school history teacher Lonnie Schneider said his dad inspired him to think outside the book to find a unique way to teach.

"I said this would be a great thing to bring kids over here and let them meet primary sources people who actually participated in wars," Schneider said.

That's where Markway and his friends come in.

These men are part of the VFW Honor Guard, Post 1103. They travel to military funerals to perform the flag folding ceremony and taps for veterans who've passed on. For the last six years they have also met with Schneider's class in the Jefferson City National Cemetery to give them a hands on learning experience.

After watching a full flag folding ceremony and salute, the students get to listen to stories.

"It makes you realize just how many people died for us to be where we are," said student Zoe Lopez.

"We hope they take some kind of lesson out of this because that's what this is: a lesson," Markway said.

It only takes 30 minutes, but it's 30 minutes these kids will never forget.

"They have so much respect for everybody, and they did what they did and its just amazing," Lopez said.

As long as there is someone to listen, Harold will keep telling his story.

"I wouldn't want to do it again but I'm really glad I served when I did," Markway said.

And these kids will walk away with a new meaning to the word history.

"Just looking around here and seeing that every one of these headstones represents someone who fought for this county, died for the ideals, the principals and the freedoms that we have. So now if they leave here with a little more respect than they had before, that's all I want, that's it," Markway said.

Harold says he and his Honor Guard friends have done 60 funerals this year.