Dozens of students and teachers accompanied veterans Wang Gaoyin and Liu Zhuang from Tianjin to Luoyang, Henan province, last week to honor veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53).

During the four-day trip, the group joined 36 veterans to visit peony gardens, listen to their war stories, and assist those with mobility issues. The average age of the group of veterans is 92.

The visit is part of the "Heroes, Hello" program launched by the Tianjin Binhai Vocational Institute of Automotive Engineering. Over the past two years, the initiative has reached more than 20 provinces, connecting with 40,000 people, including veterans and families of fallen soldiers.

"Ideological and political education should not be confined to classrooms," said Jia Xiufang, chairperson of the institute. "Students need to engage with heroes in real life."

For many students, the experience brought history to life. "Before, my understanding of the war came mainly from textbooks," said Wang Yuchuan, a student majoring in automotive service and marketing. "Meeting the veterans made the spirit of that history feel real."

Ninety-four-year-old veteran Wang Lanju recalled building an airport in North Korea under daily bombing. "We never retreated," he said.

The school has compiled oral histories into teaching materials and plans to invite 25 surviving female veterans to campus on May 18.

Chen Yijun and Wang Jingxu contributed to this story.