The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded grants totaling over $2 million to seven educational and research institutions. The funding is part of the National Cemetery Administration's Veterans Legacy Program, which aims to honor veterans buried in VA national cemeteries through educational outreach.
The grants will fund projects such as documentaries, lesson plans, and instructional aids focused on the lives and accomplishments of veterans. The Veterans Legacy Program was established in 2016 to connect students, educators, and citizens with VA national cemeteries. To date, it has engaged over 15,000 students.
Ronald Walters, Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, expressed gratitude for collaborations with schools and non-profit organizations across the country. "These grants will help ensure future generations continue to learn about the remarkable men and women interred in VA national cemeteries," he stated.
The grantees were selected after a thorough review process:
- **National History Day, Inc.** received $361,721. They will involve teachers in guiding students to research U.S. Marine Corps veterans from World War II.
- **Loyola Marymount University** was granted $350,000 for their Digital Veterans Legacy Project that integrates veteran narratives into curricula through collaborative research.
- **Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation** received $341,881 to continue curating life histories of Vietnam-era veterans.
- **U.S. Korea Global Strategy Foundation** obtained $324,999 to create social studies modules focusing on Korean War veterans.
- **Research Foundation of the City University of New York** was awarded $280,000 for a seminar producing educational materials related to Cypress Hills National Cemetery veterans.
- **University of Central Florida** received $274,439 for projects extending memorialization efforts at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery.
- **West Virginia Humanities Council, Inc.** secured $262,952 for expanding prior projects by creating biographies of West Virginia veterans.
Each project is designed to preserve veteran stories while promoting civic engagement and education.
