KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A group of University of Tennessee students is working to keep the stories of Medal of Honor recipients alive through a new project.
It's called the Medal of Honor Project. A group of students from Land Grand Films, the Tennessee Vol Channel and the School of Journalism and Electronic Media will organize a documentary about the upcoming Medal of Honor Convention in Knoxville.
The convention will be in September, making Knoxville the only city other than Boston to host it more than once. There, organizers will give the Patriot Award to former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. Organizers previously said the award is reserved for people who distinguished themselves as Americans.
Actor Dennis Quaid will also be honored with the Bob Hope Award, which is reserved for entertainers who have distinguished themselves with outstanding service to the U.S. military or positive portrayal of the military in literature or film.
The convention is an annual gathering for recipients of the U.S.'s highest military award for valor. It's being held in Knoxville for a second time from September 6 through September 10.
Among all the service members will also be a group of UT students interviewing attendees and collecting stories of bravery. They said it is a continuation of a previous project that took place in Fall 2014.
"As the number of recipients of the Medal of Honor decline, it is important to keep their stories alive and showcase what makes Knoxville the ideal host for the convention," organizers said. "Our mission is to honor the recipients, convention, and contributors of the Medal of Honor."
The students are raising money for the documentary online. Anyone who wants to learn more about it can read about the project on its VolStarter page.