Veterans Heritage Project

VETERANS HERITAGE PROJECT (VHP) IS A GROWING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT FACILITATES AN AWARD-WINNING, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WHICH STRIVES TO DEVELOP CHARACTER AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY IN STUDENTS BY PROVIDING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAMS TO HONOR VETERANS AND PRESERVE THEIR LEGACIES. BASED IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA, VHP IS OFFERED IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, AND COLLEGES, IMPACTING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, WHILE INTERVIEWING HUNDREDS OF VETERANS ANNUALLY. THEIR STORIES ARE PRESERVED IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND THROUGH THE STUDENT-PUBLICATION, SINCE YOU ASKED. PROGRAM ELEMENTS ALSO INCLUDE COMMUNITY BOOK RECEPTIONS, VETERAN PRESENTATIONS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. VHPS CURRICULUM IS DESIGNATED AS A CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM BY THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND IS ALIGNED WITH ARIZONAS COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS STANDARDS. VHPS PROGRAM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY: CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR SOCIETY, NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, VETERA

CHAPTER PROGRAM-OUR PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED THROUGH SCHOOL CHAPTERS (CLUBS.) GUIDED BY A TRAINED TEACHER WHO VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE AS A CHAPTER ADVISOR, STUDENTS COMPLETE OUR CURRICULUM AND PROGRAM ACTIVITIES OVER THE COURSE OF A SCHOOL YEAR. ALTHOUGH PANDEMIC RIPPLE EFFECTS CONTINUED AND CIRCUMSTANCES RESULTED IN LOWER PARTICIPATION NUMBERS, WE ARE PROUD OUR MISSION WAS STILL ABLE TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT. STUDENTS LEARN THE HISTORY BEHIND MILITARY CONFLICTS FROM WORLD WAR II TO THE WAR ON TERROR, VIDEOGRAPHY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS; AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN PREPARATION TO INTERVIEW A VETERAN. THE RECORDED ORAL HISTORY VIDEO INTERVIEW IS PRESERVED IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. STUDENTS WRITE, EDIT, AND PUBLISH THE VETERANS STORIES IN A STUDENT PRODUCED HARD-BOUND BOOK, SINCE YOU ASKED. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE TRAINED IN THE USE OF ADOBE INDESIGN AND PHOTOSHOP THROUGH OUR TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM AND IN-PERSON WORKSHOP TO LAYOUT THE STORIES AND ASSEMBLE REGIONAL EDITIONS OF THE BOOK FOR PUBLICATION. SCHOOLS COLLABORATE TO PLAN AND HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO HONOR THEIR VETERANS AND PRESENT THE COMPLETED WORK WITH A BOOK SIGNING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. PARTICIPATING STUDENTS AND VETERANS EACH RECEIVE A FREE BOOK, AND ADDITIONAL COPIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE. THE BOOKS ARE ALSO DONATED TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ADDITIONAL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE VETERANS DAY EVENTS, VETERAN CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS OR SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES, AND SCHOLARSHIPS.CHAPTER PROGRAM 19 SCHOOL PARTNERS 154 STUDENT PARTICIPANTS 118 VETERAN LEGACIES PRESERVED VETERAN PRESENTATIONS19 PRESENTERS6 SCHOOL PARTNERS3,159 STUDENTS IMPACTEDSTUDENT FEEDBACK100% OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS GRADUATED & PURSUED COLLEGE100% INCREASED ACADEMIC AND 21ST CENTURY SKILLS88% INCREASED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT 86% DEVELOPED A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP WITH A VETERAN VETERAN FEEDBACK20% SHARED THEIR STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME76% FOUND THE EXPERIENCE CATHARTIC OR HEALING IN SOME WAY80% FELT THE EXPERIENCE EXCEEDED THEIR EXPECTATIONS 100% WOULD RECOMMEND PARTICIPATION TO ANOTHER VETERAN

SINCE YOU ASKED PUBLICATION-HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN LEAD PUBLISHING SCHOOLS, AND OTHERS WHO WISH TO REPRESENT THEIR CONTRIBUTING SCHOOL, LAYOUT THE STORIES AND ASSEMBLE REGIONAL EDITIONS OF THE BOOK FOR PUBLICATION. STUDENTS ARE TRAINED IN THE USE OF ADOBE INDESIGN AND PHOTOSHOP THROUGH OUR TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM AND IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS. SIMILAR TO A YEARBOOK CLASS, OUR STAFF HOLD WORK DAYS AT OUR OFFICE AND WILL VISIT PUBLISHING SCHOOLS TO OFFER GUIDANCE AS THE STUDENTS COMPLETE THE LAYOUT PROCESS. PARTICIPATING STUDENTS AND VETERANS EACH RECEIVE A FREE BOOK, AND ADDITIONAL COPIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC.DUE TO PAPER SHORTAGES AND SUPPLY CHAIN IMPACTS, THE COST TO PRODUCE SINCE YOU ASKED, OUR STUDENT PUBLICATION OF VETERAN LEGACIES, INCREASED BY 20%, AND PRODUCTION TIMES MORE THAN DOUBLED. STUDENTS SUBMITTED TWO BOOKS FOR PUBLISHING IN FEBRUARY, WITH DELIVERY NORMALLY RECEIVED IN APRIL. ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE DELAY AND DELIVERY SCHEDULED FOR JUNE, ALLOWED VHP TO SHIFT THE BOOK RECEPTION TO AUGUST TO COINCIDE WITH THE START OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

ANNUAL COMMUNITY RECEPTION AND BOOK SIGNING-SCHOOLS COLLABORATE REGIONALLY TO PLAN COMMUNITY EVENTS, TYPICALLY HELD IN APRIL OR MAY, TO HONOR THEIR VETERANS AND PRESENT THE COMPLETED WORK. THE FREE PUBLIC EVENTS INCLUDE STUDENT EMCEES AND STATEMENTS, A VETERAN KEYNOTE, STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS, AND A VETERAN BOOK SIGNING WHERE ATTENDEES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH THE VETERANS. AFTER A TWO-YEAR HIATUS DUE TO COVID, THE RETURN OF THIS CULMINATING PROGRAM ACTIVITY WAS AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS WITH A FULL ROOM OF 500 GUESTS WHO EXPERIENCED THE ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM OF CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH VETERANS. SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES REQUIRED THE EVENT TO SHIFT FROM APRIL (FY22) TO AUGUST (FY 23). DUE TO THIS DELAY, THE MAJORITY OF RELATED EXPENSES WILL BE REFLECTED IN FY23. IT WAS EXCEPTIONAL IN BE TOGETHER IN-PERSON AGAIN AND HAVE STUDENTS HONOR THEIR VETERANS BY PRESENTING SINCE YOU ASKEDTM XVIII: A SALUTE TO COLD WAR VETERANS! MANY OF OUR VETERANS AND STUDENTS FELT THE SAME WAY. WE HAVE A 70% INCREASE IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT FOR FY 23.