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VHP VOICE
March 25, 2016: Volume 5, Issue 2
Connecting Students with Veterans
Special Announcements 
     Barbara Hatch,  Founder of Veterans Heritage Project, to be honored with  Hon Kachina Volunteer Award

On May 7, 2016 VHP will be celebrating Barbara Hatch at the 39th annual Hon Kachina Volunteer Awards.   Barbara was selected as one of seven awardees for her work in founding Veterans Heritage Project, and for volunteering for 12 years as program director. She has made a significant and immeasurable impact in not only the development of Veterans Heritage Project, but in the immediate and future lives of her students, veterans, and their families.

Each awardee receives a one-of-a-kind hand-carved Hon Kachina doll, and their organization receives a cash award from funds raised at the event. If you are able to join in the celebration, tickets are available for purchase at the  Hon Kachina Council  website.

VHP Alumna recognized by the            Daughters of the American Revolution

Each year the Daughters of the American Revolution present the Outstanding DAR Service for Veterans Award to honor those who work with veterans.  Our own Michelle Hugo, now attending University of North Carolina, was chosen as the Southwest Region’s awardee, with her nomination being sent to compete for the national award. Congratulations, Michelle! We are so proud of you!
  Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society Awards Scholarships to VHP Students

Since 2012, we have been fortunate to partner with the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society (AVHOFS) for student scholarships.  During the AVHOFS  10th Annual Patriotic Gala  on April 9, 2016, VHP students McKenzie Cooper, Katelyn Finegan, and Allison Lopez (pictured below respectively) will receive a C opper Lamp of Knowledge S cholarship for their outstanding work in serving veterans through Veterans Heritage Project.  Congratulations, Ladies!  
Upcoming Events
Annual Reception & Book Signings  Coming Up!

Each publishing chapter, along with their collaborating chapters, are hosting Reception & Book Signing celebrations over the next few months. Come join in the celebration! 
  • April 10, 2016 - Phoenix Edition 1 Reception & Book Signing, 3-6pm at Arizona State University West, 4701 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ 85306 (Sponsored by Arizona Department of Veteran Services, AZ Humanities, and Phoenix Suns Charities) 
  • April 16, 2016 - Tucson Edition Reception & Book Signing, 2pm at Mountain Vista Complex/ Activity Center in Sun City - Oro Valley 
  • April 23, 2016 - Northern Arizona Reception & Book Signing, 2pm at Embry-RIddle Aeronautical University Hangar (Sponsored by Phoenix Suns Charities) 
  • May 12, 2016 - Show Low High School Reception & Book Signing, 6:30pm, LDS Church, 300 N 11th St. in Show Low, AZ
  • May 15, 2016 (NEW day, time & location) - Phoenix Edition 2 Reception & Book Signing, 2 pm at Elks Lodge, 14424 N 32nd St. in Phoenix, AZ (Sponsored by Arizona Coyotes Foundation) 


Other Exciting Events:

  • April 13, 2016 - You are invited to come listen to veterans share their stories at the Cactus Shadows High School Auditorium through the Veterans Heritage Project Vets in the Classroom program! See this flyer for more details. 

  • May 9, 2016 - Patriotic Day at Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School

    This special school assembly is open to the public and honors veterans and active duty military.  Our own VHP students welcome veterans as they come into the gym, and invite them to be interviewed by the Kyrene VHP chapter. See invitation here for more details. 
  • May 30, 2016 - Wreath Ceremony at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona 

    Join VHP in bringing a wreath to honor veterans. Contact us for more details!
2016 year calendar. April calendar on a white background
Chapter News 
A Patriotic Spring Break

During Spring Break the Shadow Mountain High School VHP students went to Washington, D.C. to hand  de­liver the stories in this year’s book to Col. (Ret.) Bob Patrick, Director of the Veterans History Project, at the National Library of Congress. The team visited all the monuments, met up with the Arizona WWII Honor Flight veterans,  walked Arlington National Cemetery, and explored the Smithsonian’s many museums. This was an experience of a lifetime that truly brought home the importance of the work these students do.
– Paula Burr, SMHS Advisor
 
Four Editions of Volume XII Published

This year VHP grew from three to four publishing chapters, with Chino Valley High School transitioning into a publishing chapter.  All four publishing chapters submitted their books to print as of Monday, March 21! A special congratulations to:
  • Cactus Shadows High School, Phoenix Edition 1
  • Ironwood Ridge High School, Tucson Edition
  • Shadow Mountain High School, Phoenix Edition 2 
  • Chino Valley High School, Northern Arizona Edition 
VHP in the Community
VHP chapters and volunteers have been busy in the community! Below are a few of the highlights from the last few months.
  • On February 17, Chino Valley High School VHP Advisor Scott Sloat hosted the following veteran speakers in his classroom: Leland Paul, WW II veteran; John Dudas, Cold War veteran; Melissa Lee, Desert Storm veteran; and Dottie Morris, whose brother died in Vietnam.  In just one day an additional 150 students were able to experience the impact of personal history.

  • On March 16, Cactus Shadows High School opened their lecture hall for classrooms to rotate throughout the morning and learn from veteran speakers.  Over 1000 students benefited from presentations given by Vietnam veterans Frank Lambert, Jim Kelsey, and Gene Rafanelli (pictured), and Afghanistan veteran Rick Gregory.

  • On March 4, VHP Founder Barbara Hatch and Board member David Lucier attended the Arizona Department of Education Civic Learning Conference. Barbara and David presented on the               benefits of utilizing veterans as primary sources of world history and military conflicts, and Barbara hosted a roundtable discussion on how extracurricular activities provide opportunities for students to get involved in their schools and communities. VHP Advisors Paula Burr and Becky Adams also attended the conference!
  • On February 25, Barbara Hatch and Cactus Shadows High School student Jenna Reynolds presented about the VHP program to the Belmont Village Senior Living. Thank you to volunteer Debbie Yin for helping to set up this opportunity, and Sarah Speratos at Belmont for coordinating the details to make the event happen. 
Volunteer Spotlight
Publishing Since You Asked each year requires countless hours of effort and incredible diligence. One of the most important parts of the publishing process is editing. To ensure accuracy it takes many different eyes on the stories. The schools had a great turnout, with more than 40 Editing Volunteers helping to ensure the accuracy of Volume XII! Thank you!

On February 6, Cactus Shadows High School hosted an editing day to prepare the 91 veterans stories in Phoenix Edition 1.

On March 12, Shadow Mountain High School hosted an editing day to prepare the 46 veteran stories for Phoenix Edition 2.

 
Thank you, Arizona Department of Veteran Services, Tee it Up for the Troops, and the Arizona Coyotes Foundation for investing in our mission and believing in the impact of our oral history program. With your recent contributions, we are able to honor our veterans and share the message of service with students - our next generation of leaders.

Thank You For Making a Difference

Sustaining VHP's Mission
April 5th is Arizona Gives Day, a day when people all over Arizona go online to make donations to nonprofits they care about. Last year, 573 nonprofit organizations raised over $2 million. Veterans Heritage Project participated for the first time last year and raised over $1,000.  T his year, we have set a goal of $5,000.  Nonprofits also receive a chance to win a portion of $175,000 in prize money for organizations that raise the most in donations . Please consider making a gift to our Arizona Gives Day campaign and be a part of investing in Arizona. Just follow these easy steps:
  1. Go online to azgives.org
  2. Search for Veterans Heritage Project at the top of the page
  3. You can pre-schedule your donation to be paid on April 5

Your gift will make a difference to the veterans and students we serve.  Thank you!
Veterans Heritage Project |  1-877-VHP-PROJ (847-7765) | www.veteransheritage.org