Problem Statement

Many of our veterans feel isolated and displaced after service in both active and non-active combat, which can result in higher rates of suicide and relatED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. ​



​DESIGN QUESTIONS

How can we help veterans to feel less isolated and more connected in our communities?
How can we encourage more people to connect with our veterans to make them feel more welcome, included, and appreciated? 
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Solution Statement: 


                After finding and discussing this problem statement with veterans and our community partners, we formulated a solution to begin veteran awareness in school systems with different activities focusing on certain aspects of the military such as Military Child Awareness Month, Memorial Day wreath making, and other small low-cost projects designed to take up only a small portion of class every month, so no coursework is lost, and veteran appreciation is gained. Connect With a Veteran is a 9 month curriculum plan intended to educate and appreciate our veterans, and teach our students the joy of sacrifice and gratitude.
​               When taking part in empathy interviews, veterans expressed what true need there is for the community to empathize and try to understand what they went through for our country. Connect with a Veteran directly focuses on educating our community by providing a in-depth curriculum plan for teachers to pick and choose which activities to complete. 
                Our favorite part of the curriculum plan is to directly connect with a veteran. This is done through a pen pal program where students can write a personalized letter to the veteran that their classroom has been partnered with, and the veteran can choose to write a group letter back to the classroom and share their story. 

              Schools can begin and take up the curriculum plan at any moment. However, if the school would like to connect with a veteran via the pen-pal program (it is highly encouraged!), please email Susan Engel at St. Michael's Veteran Center at sengel@smvets.org. 

              Thank you so much! For any feedback or questions, please email lydiapoe12@gmail.com! We hope that you learn more about our veterans and the students are greatly benefitted by this! 

To access the curriculum plan, please click right here: 

Pitch presentation Showcase: 

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Meet our team!

We are passionate about creating a difference in the lives of America's veterans
Learn more about us below!

Abby Thornhill

Hello! My name is Abby Thornhill and I am a senior at Notre Dame de Sion. Being an 18-year-old girl it can be hard to feel like I am able to make a change in my community. I decided to take Designing Real-World Impacts because I will be participating with a team of intelligent strong young women who are driven to make a difference. For teenagers in the 21st-century, social media has become a source of awareness. People all around the world are able to see the unjust things that are taking place. 

My main focus this semester is increasing the education around veterans’ mental health. After serving, many of them struggle with PTSD, alcoholism, drug use, depression, and anxiety. These struggles can lead to disrupted home life, homelessness, and even suicide. At the end of this program, I hope we have accomplished our goal in educating those who are afraid to reach out, and those who have been affected by these issues.  Having multiple of my relatives serve this topic hits close to home. 

Some of the qualities I bring to this team are self-motivation, problem-solving, and time management. Self-motivation is something that is important because everyone needs to be bringing 100% to the table to get things done. I have learned that it takes a driven individual to achieve their desired result. Another one of my strengths is problem-solving. Being able to problem solve in a group can lead to quicker and more efficient ways of getting to our ultimate goal. One other strength I have is the ability to manage time. Being a senior in high school can be crazy. Trying to squeeze in all of the last memories and applying to colleges can get pretty hectic. Learning to manage time will make me a strong team member by not only getting my work done in time but allowing myself to make sure it is not rushed and done to my best ability. I am excited to gain more experience and knowledge alongside classmates that will push me to be my best self.

Lydia Poe

Hi! I’m Lydia. I am proud to say that I am the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of four veterans. Raised in three different Midwestern states, I have come to truly appreciate America for the great and beautiful country that she is. 

The health of our veterans, both mentally and physically, began to pique my interest while attending ALA Kansas Girls State and ALA Girls Nation this summer. There, I learned that the American Legion Auxiliary exists solely to honor the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to protect our country and to enhance their lives by offering services and support for veterans. This organization truly made me see the struggles of our veterans and their families in regards to suicide, mental health-related issues, and their return to society.

Furthermore, one of the bills I wrote and sponsored for the Kansas Girls State Senate was concerning veteran health help. While conducting research on the topic, I found shocking statistics on the rates of suicide among veterans due to mental health-related issues, as well as issues of veterans acclimating to everyday life, and instantly knew I needed to help. 

I joined the Vetting for Vets Team because this issue has become so close to my heart this summer. There are over 19 million veterans currently, and according to current statistics, 20 veterans commit suicide every single day. Their sacrifices were not in vain, and to support them through suicide prevention and mental health support is the least that we can do to repay them. I hope that through this team, we are able to make a direct impact in the lives of veterans and their families to honor their service for all of America.

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