Today is the 44th anniversary of the Vietnam war ending. Thank you to all who served🇺🇸

David Joseph Latoria

This photo of David and The Wall with his name behind him was presented at an annual dinner-dance in honor of David. The money raised at this affair is used to present two scholarships at David’s high school – East Leyden High School in Franklin Park, Illinois. #leydenpride

Member of Leyden Wall of Fame

Ronald F. Gibbs

Class of 1964 ~ West

Ronald Gibbs graduated from West Leyden High School in 1964. He served his country in Vietnam and Germany as a Captain in the U.S. Army. He went on to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He then earned a Master in Public Administration degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In addition, Mr. Gibbs has studied at The Hague Academy of International Law, where he earned a Certificate in International Human Rights. He also studied at the London School of Economics.

Mr. Gibbs is the President of National and International Public Affairs Consulting, located in Washington, D.C. and Chicago. He also is an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy.

He spearheaded the passage of legislation establishing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. and served on the Board. As Jan Scruggs, President of the Vietnam Memorial Fund stated in his book, To Heal a Nation, “Ron spent many hours walking the halls of Congress. He never asked for public recognition or acclaim. His only desire was to see the names of the 58,000 killed in Vietnam inscribed in a place of honor.” He founded The Kim Foundation with Kim Phuc, whose Pulitzer Prize winning photo was captured by Nick Ut as her village was napalmed during the Vietnam War.

His message to Leyden students: “A good education can be your key to success. Seek to empower yourself. Continually seek to make a difference—with family and friends. Look to help others in the community, nationally and globally. Believe in the ‘power of an idea’ to bring about social change whether in your community, nationally, or internationally.”

#leydenpride