Chesapeake Students Present Projects To Military Veterans

After reading Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried," Chesapeake High School English students completed projects that provide veterans with information on different services. Today, they presented their projects to a panel of eight veterans.

The veterans in attendance were Ambrose J. Cavegn Jr., Army; Bob Jones, Army; Bill Vincent, Army; Joe Scholle, Marine Corps; Carl Stroble, Navy; Jan Holland, Army; Rick Barnes, Army; and John Church, Air Force. 

This year, projects included websites, brochures and a printed magazine. Students provided information on various veterans services, like service dogs, employment opportunities, sports therapy, PTSD treatment and art therapy.

After an introduction, the veterans mingled around the different student groups, learning about the projects and giving tips on how to improve them or how the projects were helpful.

"These projects tell you everything, and they're very interesting," Vincent said. "The information these students provided is great."

Kellie Darroch, an English teacher at CHS, said the project serves as a one-stop-shop for veterans services.

"The veterans are able to go to this one website or this one brochure and see all the local places to get help," Darroch said. "And all of this was student-created."

One of the stand-out projects was a printed magazine that had in-depth information on service dogs. In addition to detailing where to get a service dog, the students also included information for financial assistance, as service dogs are expensive.

Christian Curet, another English teacher at CHS, said this project offers students a new way to connect with the material, and they're more willing to read the book with less complaining. 

"This gives them an appreciate for what our veterans have gone through, both in service and after the fact," Curet said.