About the Nonprofit
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Founded in 2004 and established as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit in 2009, Veterans Heritage Project’s (VHP) mission is to Connect Students with Veterans™ in order to honor veterans, preserve America’s heritage, and develop future leaders. Our award-winning after-school program develops students’ leadership, confidence, character, and 21st century skills, while honoring the service of veterans and preserving their legacies.
VHP connects students with veterans through our after-school oral history program at middle schools, high schools, and college campuses across Arizona. Students interview veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan; and document their stories through video and written essays, which are preserved in the student publication Since You Asked,TM and the Library of Congress for future generations. Students present their work to the veterans and honor them at community book receptions with the opportunity for attendees to interact with SYA veterans during a book signing. VHP also operates a veteran lecture series for partner schools and community groups, helps chapters connect into their local communities through civic engagement activities, and provides competitive college scholarships.
VHP's curriculum is certified by the Arizona Department of Education as a Character Education Program because it instills civic pride, generosity as students learn about giving and sacrifice, gratitude as they are reminded of the cost of our freedoms, orderliness in accomplishing tasks, and sense of respect for others. Our program model utilizes inquiry, critical thinking, and collaboration to enrich academics and develop 21st century skills that will allow them to adapt to an evolving and fast-paced environment. Students work on a project over the course of the school year that engages them in complex topics surrounding history, citizenship, service, and the impacts of war. They retain important lessons through writing, and demonstrate their knowledge and skills by publishing the veteran stories in SYA. As a result, students develop deep content knowledge, as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills.
Since its founding in 2004, VHP has honored 2,544 veterans and preserved their histories in 18 volumes of SYA and through video interviews archived at the Library of Congress. We have instilled the concepts of honor, service, respect, citizenship and appreciation for veterans and their sacrifices to 2,720 students. VHP hosts annual book receptions to celebrate veterans and recognize their service. Over the past six years, messages of civic education and appreciation for service have been brought to over 8,000 community members and 56,000 students through almost 300 veteran presentations.
On average,
• 100% of students graduate
• 90% increase leadership, academic, and 21st century skills
• 85% develop a mentoring relationship with a veteran
• 25% of veterans tell their stories for the first time
• 62% find the experience cathartic
