About John

www.johnkinville.com

John E. Kinville is an award-winning educator, author, and local historian dedicated to uncovering and preserving the complex history of Western Wisconsin. A native of Norway, Michigan, he was raised in Western Wisconsin, fostering a lifelong deep connection to the region’s heritage, landscapes, and communities.

Academic Foundation

Kinville is a proud alumnus of the schools he now serves, graduating from Chippewa Falls Senior High School in 1997. He pursued his passion for the social sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Broadfield Social Studies in 2003. He advanced his academic training at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, graduating with a Master’s Degree in History Education in 2006.

Classroom Leadership & Veteran Advocacy

For over two decades, Kinville has served as a high school social studies teacher at Chippewa Falls High School, where his curriculum extends far beyond standard textbooks. Believing that history is an active pursuit, he founded Flags 4 the Fallen, a student organization designed to identify, research, and connect with the families and burial sites of fallen veterans from the Chippewa Falls area. Through this initiative, he guides students in primary-source historical research, bridging generational gaps and ensuring local sacrifices are never forgotten.

Public History & Authorship

As a digital storyteller and author, Kinville brings forgotten narratives to light for the broader public. He is the creator and host of Hidden Chippewa Valley on YouTube, a documentary channel exploring little-known historical topics from Western Wisconsin.

His extensive research into the region's complex past has resulted in two books published through Arcadia Publishing:

• The Grey Eagles of Chippewa Falls: A Hidden History of a Women's Ku Klux Klan in Wisconsin – A groundbreaking exploration of a challenging chapter in local history.

• Chippewa Falls WW2 Hero Harry W. Kramer – A detailed biographical tribute to a local serviceman.

Awards and Recognition

Kinville's profound impact on his students, peers, and community has earned him extensive recognition. He has received numerous Teacher of the Year Awards from organizations including the Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Optimist Club, the Herb Kohl Foundation, and, most meaningfully, the student body of Chippewa Falls Senior High School.

His broader contributions to community service and historical preservation have been celebrated on both regional and institutional levels:

• American Red Cross Local Heroes Award (2025): Awarded for his dedicated advocacy and research honoring both surviving and fallen veterans in the region.

• UW-Eau Claire Distinguished Alumni Award (2025): Named his alma mater's most Distinguished Alumnus, celebrating his outstanding career achievements and commitment to public service.

Speaker & Presenter

Beyond the classroom, Kinville is an active public speaker and community educator, frequently sharing his research and expertise through local presentations and historical forums. He is available for book talks, community panels, and local speeches centering on the diverse, and sometimes hidden, historical and military narratives of Western Wisconsin. Additionally, drawing on his deep commitment to honoring those who served, he is widely sought after for formal Veterans Day addresses, using his platform to bridge public history with meaningful civic remembrance.