EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT

GUIDEAmericanism Commission

THE AMERICAN LEGION

In many ways, the entire mission of The American Legion Family revolves around education. From getting veterans the information they need to understand their benefits to developing key alliances with top-notch academic and athletic programs, the Legion Family excels in sharing our collective knowledge.

As such, this text first explores the variety of ways in which education functions within the Legion. Discussions follow on establishing an education committee at various levels, best practices in educational presentations, understanding financial aid, the overall importance of continuing education in the 21st century, and appendices to aid in finding additional resources outside this manual.

Nationally, the Legion Family facilitates several scholarship programs in conjunction with our various youth programs and alliances. The award amounts range from a few hundred dollars to $20,000. Collectively, the

INTRODUCTION

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money available from national-level scholarships is upward of $1 million per year.

Dozens more scholarship and grant opportunities abound at department, unit and post levels. (These are controlled locally with no oversight from the respective national organizations.) As a community member, this makes engaging with your local unit, squadron or post vital. As a post, squadron or unit, you must ensure that the community is well aware of the programs offered through participation in Legion Family activities.

When all is said and done, our desire as Legionnaires should be two-fold. First, we should seek to perpetuate our goals as established in the preamble to our constitution. Secondly, we should strive to bring eligible, non-Legion Family members into our respective organizations. Only by enlisting new membership will we continue to remain at the forefront of being the premiere wartime veterans service organization!

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The American Legion Education Development Guide, 1st Edition, First publication in February 2016Developed by national Americanism staff at the request of the Americanism Commission through the Committee on Youth Education. Editions will be updated as needed and/or requested.

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CHAPTER 1∏LEGION

EDUCATIONThe American Legion stands as an august institution whose four pillars always included Americanism and Youth. One of the most important ways we honor both of those pillars is through our educational programs and benefits for the youth of this nation.

This chapter examines Legion Family education programs from the National Headquarters to the local post, squadron or unit levels.

Whether a subcommittee of your Americanism Committee or a separate entity within the post or unit, volunteers who are dedicated to connecting to community schools and local students is a must for success of any such education or youth activities program. The fairly tried-and-true saying that “where kids go, parents follow” holds as true for the Legion as it does for the church. If your local post is providing awesome programming for its children, the potential grows for adding adult members. Given this, a suggested outline for forming or revitalizing a Committee on Youth Education is detailed below.

Structure

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Legion Family members familiar with education community

Sons of The American Legion & Auxiliary Junior representative (high school age)(When possible or permissible)

Community organization representative (when applicable)(Consultant only)

When considering who to place in these roles, consider the qualifications listed below. As much as possible, a post/unit should attempt to compose the committee from the full diversity of the group (i.e. different ages, genders, races, etc.).

Qualifications

The appointment of candidates should not be political in nature. Candidates should have the following qualifications:

- Interest in youth and education programs of the Legion

- Ability and willingness to promote the program to the local community and community schools

- Technically and technologically savvy (or the ability to become so)

Initial Planning and Considerations

The need for creativeness and continued involvement will always be true for youth and education. A vibrant, active

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The Committee on Youth Education

SECTION 1∏

education committee will find ways to engage with its communities’ schools and youth beyond Memorial and Veterans Day services. Members of the committee should establish relationships with local teachers, principals and school board members. Ideas should not be forced on schools. Instead, the committee should study the local area’s curriculum for ways that Legion education programs could organically meld with what teachers are already teaching.

Like all volunteer efforts, the committee and its programs will only be as good as their planning, publication and practice. Don’t rush the formation of the committee or tackle every program the Legion Family offers all at once. Utilize various media to their utmost potential. In short, be visible, be consistent, be persistent.

First, identify your committee members; obtain their full buy-in to the program, and if they don’t all know each other well, host a social meeting to kick things off between them. Consider that education for the Legion Family can be more than promoting a veteran in the classroom or a handful of scholarships.

Potential Areas of Educational Involvement

Adult Literacy Financial Aid Guidance

Citizenship Education Essay Contests

Flag Education Teacher Recognition

School Awards Tutoring

American Education Week Career Education

This guide offers substantial information on financial aid, scholarships and veteran involvement in community schools. However, you may find additional information by entering any of the terms above in an Internet search engine such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. You may also wish to contact your department or national offices to seek guidance on forming a new program.

Duties and Responsibilities

As previously discussed, you will not be able to shape, grow, or maintain your program from within the walls of your post or unit. You will need to make contact with community partners and allies, who are just as concerned about a particular issue or cause as you. The youth and teachers are in the schools. The lawmakers are at city hall. The adults needing career and literacy education are at the laundromat, the library, your local department store or your favorite restaurant. You get the picture.

Now, the focus shifts to individual duties and responsibilities based on various program scenarios you may encounter.

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Scholarship Facilitation

Except for the Legacy Scholarship, all our scholarships are tied to youth programs or geared to high school-aged youth. If you want new kids and young adults to play baseball, join a junior shooting team, or attend American Legion Boys or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, you must be willing to contact school officials, set up one-to-one meetings, and follow through by following up with the adults and the students. (Dropping a packet of flyers into someone’s hand at the start of a semester will not garner many, if any, positive results.)

Can’t get the guidance counselor to talk to you? Talk to the principal or vice versa with the guidance counselor. Having a hard time reaching any administration members? If you know teachers in the school, talk with them about your program. Just as it is among junior enlisted military members, news among teachers spreads quickly and thoroughly.

For some scholarship applications, all you may need to do is collect them. For others, like the Samsung American Legion Scholarship, you may be called on to be the initial judge of the applications prior to sending them to National Headquarters. National Headquarters’ staff will always provide guidance on how national scholarships should be judged. You should refer and adhere to those guidelines, when acting as a scholarship judge.

The final thing to bear in mind is judge selection. Judges should possess the qualities of: honesty, dedication, dependability, knowledge of the subject at hand, objectivity, and willingness to volunteer with youth. It may be best to choose judges not on the committee. However, if members of the committee will be acting as judges, it is advised to replace members of the committee who may have a conflict of interest. Often, the program benefits most from inviting judges from other levels or parts of the Legion Family or from various community organizations. Spread the word about programs by seeking small measures of “VIP” involvement outside your own walls. Whoever serves in such a capacity should be thanked accordingly - perhaps with a certificate of appreciation.

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Establishing a Scholarship

In today’s America, thousands more applicants for financial aid exist than do actual awards. The introduction of even small, localized scholarships help another student afford a better education. In consideration of this, your post, district or department may consider establishing a scholarship for youth/young adults in your area.

The following is crucial advice should you choose to establish your own scholarship.

1) Keep it simple. Your application should only reflect the criteria needed to make your decision and to contact the applicants. Superfluous fields and requirements should be avoided. In short, the focus should be on quality not quantity. More references does not mean a better application. More questions should be used only when a minimum (i.e. one question) can’t be effective.

2) Be as specific as possible. In deciding on your selection criteria, do not play loose in order to encompass as many people as possible. Decide exactly who and what, inside a narrow scope, qualifies for your scholarship and include only that in your application materials.

3) Determine if financial need plays into your criteria. If you wish to use students’ financial needs to determine eligibility, you should use either the national poverty line or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid’s (FAFSA) Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

(explained in Ch. 3, Sec. 2). Utilizing the FAFSA EFC is much easier than creating your own need analysis.

4) Ease and accessibility of your application is key. If at all possible, enable your application to be filled out online with limited entry fields. If you choose to go the hard copy route, limit essays to a certain word count and follow rule one. Either way, you should publicize your scholarship via the Internet and in local publications.

5) Quick DOs for every scholarship: Know the laws governing scholarships and abide by them; standardize your application deadline for the same day each year; allow your scholarship to be used for all “educational expenses” not simply “tuition;” and track your program’s effectiveness.

6) Quick DON’Ts for every scholarship: Don’t randomly give away random amounts of money with random criteria; never ask for social security numbers; don’t charge an application fee; and don’t try to formulate the program alone if you feel lost or uncertain of the law or your criteria.

Visit The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid at www.finaid.org/educators/awarddesign.phtml for more information on setting up your scholarship program.

Youth Activities Facilitation

Regardless of the program, The American Legion takes our responsibility for educating and protecting America’s youth very seriously. Should you decide to form a youth program

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connected to the national organization, you will need to contact the appropriate program manager or office to ensure that you meet all liability, insurance and program requirements. Failure to do so could lead to your team/program being excluded from national consideration. This goes for everything from individual contests such as The National Oratorical Contest to team efforts like American Legion Baseball.

Even if you create your own local program with no external connections, you should use caution in choosing volunteers. Given the wariness of schools today for letting in “outsiders,” many schools require some form of background verification before allowing individuals to volunteer or work with students. In some cases, you may be required to fill out a background check with the school. Some schools have new instant-check machines, where visitors must scan their state-issued ID. Either way, it is best to ensure everyone volunteering with youth undergoes a background screen. In order to ensure the maximum safety of our children and youth, as well as to meet our insurance requirements, national-level youth programs require volunteers to submit to a background check.

As previously stated, The American Legion offers national-level scholarships in affiliation with all our youth programs. Additionally, you may wish to formulate your own scholarships tied to these programs at a more local level. You

are more than welcome to do so, and it is advisable to use the national criteria as your own when doing so.

Veterans Education and Employment

Typically, veterans education and employment does not fall under the guidance of the Committee on Youth Education or the Americanism committee. However, when the scale is at a post level, necessity may demand that all education matters be handled by the same committee. There are no problems or conflicts of interest with this arrangement. However, if this is your arrangement, you should be careful to separate the programs and scholarships for youth from those for veterans. Understanding veterans educational benefits requires a great deal of diligence and a great deal of oversight, especially when helping them apply for and/or keep their benefits. At any level, establishing a dedicated veterans education and employment position such as a veterans service officer is advisable to handle veterans benefits.

You will still get an overview of the most influential federal benefits for veterans in Chapter 3, Section 3. Additionally, Appendix A - State-level Aid for Veterans and Veterans’ Families - will introduce some state-level programming for assistance.

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CHAPTER 2∏

EDUCATION 101Too many people assume learning happens through osmosis; that all we need to do is present the material, and our audience will remember it. It’s an ideal. In reality, effectively educating someone takes much more work.

Chapter one explores what it takes to put together a dynamic, educational program. After exploring this chapter, the reader should be able to construct a sound lesson plan and be able to understand the ‘why’ for particular ways and means of presentation.

TLO - TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE

• The learner will be able to define “terminal learning objectives” and “enabling learning objectives” given an oral quiz

• The learner will be able to classify objectives into the categories “terminal” and “enabling” given a choice between two or more objectives.

ELO - ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE

• The learner will be able to create “terminal’” and “enabling” learning objectives for a given lesson topic.

SECTION 1∏ The box to the left identifies the two most important elements of any lesson -

the objectives. These were decided upon before beginning to write this text. The official name of this process is “backwards planning.” Essentially, you want to know where you are going before you begin your journey. To do this for a lesson, you decide on your objective before doing anything else. The objective keeps the teacher from getting lost in planning and presentation. The objective also gives the student a sense of bearing and purpose. (Some might call this an “exit strategy.”)

I. Basics of Objectives

- Describes what the student will be able to do, not what the instructor will do

- Concise and unambiguous

- Stated in active terms

- Includes conditions, tasks and standards

- Precise, observable and measurable (unmeasurable = ambiguous)

II. Terminal Learning Objectives

- Perspective from what the student, not instructor, will do

- Targets performance required at evaluation not during the lesson

- Rarely range beyond a single lesson

III. Enabling Learning Objectives

- Perspective of students as to what they must do to accomplish TLO

- May require various levels of action from recall to invention

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Understanding Objectives

The nature of planning and delivering a lesson can be tricky. A teacher does not want to deliver something unplanned. Yet, reading a lesson completely from script bores and loses the learner along the way. Somehow, a happy medium must be struck!

When planning a great lesson, the first thing is to start with the end in mind. Remember those TLOs? Establish your TLOs at the beginning of planning. Know exactly what you want your students to be able to do at the end of the lesson. Most importantly, understand how you want them to do it.

After establishing your primary objective, work your way backward from that point. If you know exactly what you

want your lesson to accomplish, and how, you’ve accomplished two main points.

Keep in mind: a straight lecture might not be the best way to pass along information. The best lessons are somewhat Socratic or give-and-take in nature. Active and differentiated learning promotes greater retention of information. What this means is a teacher must engage learners as a whole group, in small groups and with various methods of instruction in order to ensure maximum value of their lesson.

All of these best practices are true regardless of the age or education level of the teacher and learner.

On the following pages, an example lesson plan is offered. Note, this plan is not scripted. The sections are mostly directional reminders. Each section requires specific actions by the teacher and participants. The lesson is interactive and most of the time is not dedicated to lecture but to the development of the objectives. A clear theme is established from the beginning; each section builds on the other toward the objectives; the lesson plan is written for the teacher, but every element is designed to benefit the participants; and nothing superfluous exists.

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Lesson Planning and Delivery

SECTION 2∏

LESSON PLAN EXAMPLE

Title: Elevator Pitch for The American Legion

Guiding Questions: What are the elements of a good elevator pitch? How can anyone develop a good pitch? Why should they be developed?

AGENDA

Do Now: Before we get started, write down how you would describe the mission, purpose and benefits of The American Legion to someone with little to no knowledge of such.

I Do: Make bulleted list of same information asked of participants/Keep list short, sweet and to the point/Begin with the differences between simply handing someone a piece of information (brochure, etc.) and giving someone a personal testimony / Talk about the example of these and the necessity to favorably pitch the Legion/Offer up the elements of a good elevator pitch: Brief (three minutes or less), personal, thorough, no frills, enticing.

We Do: Assign members of the class to groups of two to three people/Ask them to look over their writing done during the “Do Now” / Have them edit their writing to a manageable, bulleted list/After developing a satisfactory written example, ask participants to work on a three-minute or less elevator pitch using their ideas [Use the bulleted list to formulate a three-minute or less personal testimony, and provide it as an example to the class]/Work with individuals and groups to help them fine-tune their pitches.

You Do (Assessment): Each participant will come to the front of the class and make their pitch to the instructor.

Closure: Allow participants time for questions/Provide additional examples of how elevator pitches work for different programs/Encourage participants to develop personal, real-world pitches for various programs.

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ELO TLO

Assigned a scenario, learners will develop a favorable pitch for

involvement with The American Legion.

Given three minutes or less, learners will be able to argue favorably the mission, purpose and benefits of The American

Legion.

The previous plan represents one example of a lesson plan out of hundreds. Some instructors prefer a longer, more scripted plan. Others rely on even simpler models. The importance of the plan is seen in its ability to be delivered in a way that engages participants and ensures retention of knowledge.

For more examples, simply type “lesson plan examples” in an Internet search engine. YouTube also provides great videos of effective teaching practices. And, yes, what works to effectively engage a teenager in the classroom effectively engages an adult, too!

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CHAPTER 3∏

FINANCIAL AIDA college education in the 21st century hinges upon financial aid. While most students will find it nearly impossible to complete college without some education-related debt, one can mitigate those debts by knowing where and how to look for scholarships and grants.

The Legion Family offers very generous financial aid to veterans, their families and/or participants in Legion Family programs. However, these resources are limited. By becoming familiar with how to guide students through the financial aid process, Legionnaires contribute mightily to the future of their charge.

In short, financial aid is any monetary assistance provided to students for the purposes of funding their education. Financial aid takes the form of scholarships, grants, work study and loans. A student may qualify for all, a few, or no forms of financial aid. The funding may be public or private.

The following discussion highlights each basic type of financial aid including the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Loans

Students receiving loans for their education should expect to begin paying them back within six months of finishing school or sooner if dropping out of school. The options for repayment, including interest rates, vary based on the loan being subsidized or unsubsidized, public or private. Currently, an average student finishes his or her undergraduate degree with $33,000 in loan debt. According to Forbes, as of 2014, the total student loan debt in the United States was $1.2 trillion.

Grants

Grants make up the largest portion of public funding handed out to students. Unlike loans, grants are not repaid. Usually, grants come with few to no strings attached and are generally awarded based on need. The most common grant is the Federal Pell Grant. However, numerous private institutions and specific government departments offer grants as well.

Work Study

Work study is a federal program requiring part-time work on or off campus in exchange for payment toward education expenses. The money available from work study may be more flexibly spent in some cases than that coming from loans or grants. Qualification requires completion of the FAFSA with demonstrated financial need.

Scholarships

This most desirable form of financial aid is also the hardest to obtain. Most require specific applications based on academic or community-service merit and/or individual accomplishments. (Occasionally, scholarships will be needs based.) Essays, recommendations and forms of evidence are often required for submission with no guarantee of actual assistance - more so than with a grant. Those selected for a

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Financial Aid Basics

SECTION 1∏

scholarship, whether $100 or $100,000, receive aid with minimal to no strings attached.

Public vs. Private Funding

Public financial aid receives its funding from state and federal governments. The vast majority of awarded financial aid comes in the form of public grants and loans. Most grants will not require repayment; however, a few may convert to loans if certain parameters of the grant are not met. Regardless of public or private funding, all loans require repayment, and most scholarships and grants place stipulations on how their funds may be used. (Rare is the opportunity for truly “free” money.) The major difference in public or private funding lies in the terms of repayment of and interest rates on student loans.

Tax Incentives for Higher Education

American Opportunity Credit - You may be able to claim up to $2,500 in qualified expenses relating to post-secondary education.

Lifetime Learning Credit - You may be able to claim up to $2,000 in qualified expenses relating to post-secondary education. No limit exists on the number of years this credit can be used.

Each tax credit involves much more detailed criteria and reporting requirements than listed here. Please visit the hyperlinked websites for more information.

Financial Planning is a Must

The average student, parent and/or mentor will not take the time to develop a structured, thorough financial plan for the burden of college finances. With student debt now surpassing all forms of personal debt, the necessity to form and follow a sound financial plan is paramount. A financial plan minimizes surprises and the taking on of long-term debt. Student debt cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, and even if one keeps up with their payments, a large amount of student loan debt may hinder or delay getting loans for cars, houses, or other essentials of adult life.

A variety of banks and nonprofit institutions offer financial planning tool kits to fit every lifestyle. The quickest way to explore your options is to perform a search using a search engine such as Google, Bing or Yahoo. Simply enter the phrase “college financial planning,” and find the result that works best for you from the choices provided.

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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an unavoidable and essential part of obtaining a post-secondary education. Any student applying to an American college, university or trade school will more than likely be required or find it necessary to fill out this federal form prior to beginning classes. If the goal is to help students obtain higher education, the FAFSA represents a great place to start.

What is it?

Essentially, the FAFSA allows federal and state governments to determine students level of financial need based on their and/or their family’s assets. The application is a means test. At the end of which, applicants receive an Expected Family Contribution (EFC), or the amount of money an individual is expected to contribute to their own education.

This amount can range from $0 to more than the cost of attendance at a student’s chosen institution. If lower than the cost of attendance, the student will be extended a public financial aid package that could include subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans and/or grant monies.

No obligation exists for a student to take all or any of the proposed financial aid.

How to know what to accept?

The decision to accept student loans is a critical and deeply impactful one. The FAFSA is the only way to acquire public student loans. Students expecting other forms of financial aid (i.e. scholarships, grants) should accept student loans only as a means of covering the gaps in paying for their education.

Is there a helpful tutorial for the FAFSA?

Yes, Matt and Mike do a great job of guiding all those concerned through the student loan process!

(Click for more!)

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The Free Application for Federal Student

Aid (FAFSA)

SECTION 2∏

BEWARE: Bogus FAFSA Program

The name says it all: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The real FAFSA will never ask for money in any form. Numerous programs exist out there which not only make false promises and charge for applications, but they may mimic the actual site in look and feel. A high profile case is Student Financial Aid Services, which ran the bogus fafsa.com website before a $5.2 million settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in July 2015. For more information on how to avoid these scams, visit: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/scams

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The following lists Legion Family and external financial aid opportunities. These lists and descriptions are not exhaustive. Click on the links to learn more and to ensure timeliness and accuracy of information.

American Legion ScholarshipsLegacy Scholarship - Available to all children and legally recognized children of deceased post-9/11 servicemembers, who died while serving during a period of active duty. Amount of award varies.

Samsung American Legion Scholarship* - Applications are submitted online by attendees of American Legion Boys and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State in each state. After going through a department-level review, one boy and one girl from each state are nominated for national review. Ten

nominees each receive a $20,000 scholarship. The remaining state finalists receive a scholarship in lesser amounts.

National High School Oratorical Contest Scholarship - Awarded to national-level participants in the constitutional speech contest of The American Legion. All students making it to the national competition receive an automatic $1,500 scholarship. Advancing to the semi-final round adds an additional $1,500 scholarship for a total of $3,000. The top three finalists (1st, 2nd, 3rd place) receive scholarships of $18,000, $16,000 and $14,000, respectively.

Eagle Scout of the Year - Given annually to a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout, the overall winner receives a $10,000 scholarship, and three runners-up receive $2,500 scholarships. Applicants are judged on the completeness of their service to the Scouts and their communities.

Junior Shooting Sports - A $5,000 scholarship, half of which is sponsored by the Sons of The American Legion, is awarded to each overall winner in the Precision and Sporter categories. A $1,000 scholarship to each second-place finisher in the Precision and Shooter categories is awarded by The American Legion Auxiliary.

American Legion Baseball - Each department may select a player to receive a scholarship which varies in amount from year-to-year.

*The American Legion Auxiliary through Girls State promotes the Samsung American Legion Scholarship.

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Scholarships and Grants of Note

SECTION 3∏

American Legion Baseball All-Academic Team - Chosen from the eight regions of American Legion Baseball, the team captain is awarded a $5,000 scholarship and eight additional scholarships of $2,500 apiece are awarded to the other team members.The scholarship is sponsored by Diamond Sports, Inc.

American Legion Auxiliary ScholarshipsChildren of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship - Each year, 15 students with strong scholarship and community service are awarded scholarships of $3,500, $3,000 and $2,500, according to geographic regions of the Auxiliary.

Non-traditional Student Scholarship - Awarded to one person per Auxiliary geographic region annually, the applicant must be a Legion Family member and be seeking post-secondary certification, training or education. The award amount is $2,000 per recipient.

Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund - This fund supports three scholarships affiliated with Auxiliary programs: Girls Nation, Honorary National Junior President and Junior Member Spirit of Youth scholarships. The number of awards in each category varies from one to five, and the amount of award varies from $2,000 to $5,000.

External Scholarships and GrantsPell Grant - This federal grant does not need to be repaid, and the award amount varies based on a number of factors. The most important of which is a student’s income to cost of attendance ratio. For 2015-2016, the maximum award amount is $5,775.

Post-9/11 GI Bill - This complex but extremely worthwhile program allows servicemembers on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, to receive money to cover most tuition, fees, books, and living expenses at state colleges and universities. An applicant for this program should work with a veterans service officer (VSO) and/or a given school’s Department of Veterans Affairs administrator to apply for and receive benefits. In some cases, these benefits may be passed to qualifying spouses and children.**

Marine Gunnery Sgt. John David Fry Scholarship - Also known as the Fry Scholarship. This program grants the surviving children and spouses of deceased servicemembers to receive up to 36 months of education benefits at the 100 percent level. As with the GI Bill, these benefits should be explored and applied for with the assistance of a VSO or VA administrator.

**A servicemember must make elections to pass on his or her benefits to a dependent after meeting a certain time-in-service mark. See the Fry Scholarship homepage for more information.

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NOTE:National Headquarters receives many calls about a scholarship known as The American Legion Scholarship. This is not a national scholarship. This is a scholarship offered by individual departments. All marketing for this scholarship should reflect a point of contact at the department level.

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APPENDICES∏

The following pages will offer an education chairman or education committee insight into additional resources from the local to national level concerning education-related resources and pertinent information.

These areas, along with other Internet-based links throughout this manual, will be updated annually or as needed to ensure the best and latest information is available for use. Should you need to comment on or question any information regarding theses programs, please, contact the National Headquarters office at 317.630.1212 or legioned@legion.org

Many of these programs assume or require citizenship in the state/territory for respective periods of time prior to utilizing the benefits. Check with your state’s office of higher education or veterans affairs department for further details and application information.

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State-level Aid for Veterans and Veterans’ Families

APPENDIX A∏

DEPARTMENT

STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)

CHILD - FALLEN POST-9/11 VET

CHILD - DISABLED POST-9/11 VET

POST-9/11 VETERAN POST-9/11 ACTIVE

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ARIZONA

ARKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

CONNECTICUT

DELAWARE

DIST OF COLUMBIA

AL GI Dependent’s Scholarship - 100% tuition,

fees, books

Same as child of the fallen at 20% disability and up

N/A N/A

100% tuition / fees N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/AIn-state tuition and fees w/

honorable dischargeN/A

Up to 100% tuition / fees N/A N/A N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesIn-state tuition and fees In-state tuition and fees

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

100% tuition100% tuition

(conditionally)100% tuition

(conditionally)In-state tuition

100% tuition / fees N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A

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DEPARTMENT

STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)

CHILD - FALLEN POST-9/11 VET

CHILD - DISABLED POST-9/11 VET

POST-9/11 VETERAN POST-9/11 ACTIVE

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

HAWAII

IDAHO

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

IOWA

KANSAS

KENTUCKY

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / fees

Tuition waiver for Purple Heart of combat-related decoration above such

Tuition waiver for Purple Heart of combat-related decoration above such

N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/AU of Idaho ONLY = 100% secondary ed costs at 100%

disabilityN/A N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

N/AAt 10% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

Up to $11,844 per annum and varying amounts to

subsidize all post-secondary education costs

N/A N/A N/A

Tuition / fee waiver at discretion of regents

N/ATuition / fee assistance

based on need of qualifying veteran

N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

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DEPARTMENT

STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)

CHILD - FALLEN POST-9/11 VET

CHILD - DISABLED POST-9/11 VET

POST-9/11 VETERAN POST-9/11 ACTIVE

LOUISIANA

MAINE

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

MINNESOTA

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

MONTANA

NEBRASKA

100% tuition / feesAt 90% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesUp to 50% of tuition / fees N/A

N/A N/A Tuition/fee waiver N/A

Up to $2,800 for tuition / fees

Same as child of fallen at 100% disability

N/A N/A

Up to $1K semester ($3K per academic year / $10K

lifetime)

Same as child of fallen at 100% disability

Up to $1K semester ($3K per academic year / $10K

lifetime)N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A

100% tuition / fees + $2K per annum room/board

Same as child of fallen at 80% disability

N/A N/A

100% tuition N/A 100% tuition N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / fees

UN-Omaha = 100% tuition at 30% disability rating or 50% combined VA rating

N/A

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DEPARTMENT

STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)

CHILD - FALLEN POST-9/11 VET

CHILD - DISABLED POST-9/11 VET

POST-9/11 VETERAN POST-9/11 ACTIVE

NEVADA

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH DAKOTA

OHIO

OKLAHOMA

100% tuition / fees N/AIn-state tuition if stationed in NV @ time of discharge

N/A

100% tuition / fees + $2.5K per annum for all other

needs

Same as child of fallen if died due to disability

N/A N/A

Up to $500 per annumSame as child of fallen if

died due to disabilityN/A N/A

100% tuition / fees + $500 book stipend

N/AIn-state tuition is

automatic / Additional aid based on need of veteran

N/A

Up to $450 per annum Up to $450 per annumNo set amount but based on

need of veteran

Limited to NYS Div of Military / Naval Affairs =

$4,350 per annum

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

77% tuition / fees for public / $6,994 per annum

for independent

No disability rating disclosed = Same as child of

fallenN/A N/A

Varies N/A N/A N/A

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DEPARTMENT

STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)

CHILD - FALLEN POST-9/11 VET

CHILD - DISABLED POST-9/11 VET

POST-9/11 VETERAN POST-9/11 ACTIVE

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH CAROLINA

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH*

VERMONT

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

N/AAt 100% disability = $500

per semesterN/A N/A

100% tuition / fees N/APercentage of tuition up to 100% may be waived based

on disability ratingN/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

100% tuition / fees100% tuition / fees if vet was

SD-NG serving on active duty

Immediate in-state tuition for vet establishing

residence in SD

In-state tuition extends to spouse and children

100% tuition / fees N/A N/A N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / fees100% tuition / fees N/A

100% tuition / fees N/A

In-state tuition if resident within 12 months of

discharge / 100% tuition waiver if Purple Heart

recipient / VTGC

100% tuition / fees, if Purple Heart recipient

100% tuition / fees N/A N/A N/A

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DEPARTMENT

STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)STATE-LEVEL AID (IF APPLICABLE)

CHILD - FALLEN POST-9/11 VET

CHILD - DISABLED POST-9/11 VET

POST-9/11 VETERAN POST-9/11 ACTIVE

VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

WYOMING

100% tuition / feesAt 90% disability = 100%

tuition / feesN/A N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 100% disability = 100%

tuition / fees

All or a portion of tuition / fees may be waived for expeditionary service

N/A

100% tuition / fees + Up to $1K per semester ($2K per

annum) for all other expenses

N/A

In-state tuition within 3 years of discharge / MOH

and Purple Heart recipients = 100% tuition

N/A

100% tuition / feesAt 30% disability = 100%

tuition / fees100% tuition / fees with

approvalN/A

100% tuition / fees N/A N/A N/A

Information obtained from The College Board survey of public and private tuition amounts for undergraduate degrees, current for the 2014-2015 school year. Tuition at private schools varies widely per state. These are averages for in-state tuition.

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Average Tuition and Fees per State

APPENDIX B∏

DEPARTMENT PUBLIC PRIVATE

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ARIZONA

ARKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

CONNECTICUT

DELAWARE

DIST OF COLUM

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

HAWAII

IDAHO

$9,470 $20,556

$6,138 $18,845

$10,398 $28,504

$7,567 $20,743

$9,173 $38,511

$9,487 $37,064

$10,620 $40,017

$11,488 $14,786

$7,516 $39,609

$6,351 $28,199

$8,094 $29,578

$9,740 $15,417

$6,602 $6,963

DEPARTMENT PUBLIC PRIVATE

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

IOWA

KANSAS

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

MAINE

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

MINNESOTA

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

MONTANA

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

NEW HAMPSHIRE

$12,770 $32,547

$9,023 $33,044

$7,857 $29,650

$8,086 $24,112

$9,188 $25,275

$7,314 $33,340

$9,422 $35,174

$8,724 $38,291

$10,951 $40,748

$11,909 $22,260

$10,527 $35,242

$6,861 $15,323

$8,383 $26,623

$6,279 $21,800

$7,404 $22,998

$6,418 $28,999

$14,712 $34,952

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DEPARTMENT PUBLIC PRIVATE

NEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH DAKOTA

OHIO

OKLAHOMA

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH CAROLINA

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH

VERMONT

VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

WYOMING

$13,002 $34,741

$6,190 $35,224

$7,292 $36,846

$6,677 $30,291

$7,513 $16,953

$10,100 $30,977

$6,895 $23,897

$8,932 $36,614

$13,246 $37,198

$10,934 $36,308

$11,449 $23,417

$7,653 $25,200

$8,541 $25,686

$8,830 $31,172

$6,177 $6,462

$14,419 $37,285

$10,899 $28,395

$10,846 $35,527

$6,661 $25,019

$8.781 $30,930

$4,646 N/A

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OF

THE AMERICAN LEGION

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

OCTOBER 14-15, 2015

Resolution No. 22: The American Legion 21st Century

Policy on Education

Origin: Americanism Commission

Submitted by: Americanism Commission

WHEREAS, The American Legion in Forty-first National Convention assembled in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, August 24-27, 1959, adopted Resolution No. 618, The American Legion Policy on Education; and

WHEREAS, The National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 18-19, 1967, adopted Resolution No. 16, amending of The American Legion's Policy Statement on Education; and

WHEREAS, The National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 9-10, 1974 adopted Resolution No. 21 amending the Policy on Education; and

WHEREAS, The National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 14-15, 1981, adopted Resolution No. 12 Inclusion of Career Education Concept in The American Legion Policy on Education; and

WHEREAS, The National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 14-15, 1992, adopted Resolution No. 31 The American Legion Policy on Education As Amended; and

WHEREAS, The National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled in Indianapolis, IN, on October 20-21, 1993, adopted Resolution No. 27 Amendment to the American Legion Policy on Education; and

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The American Legion Policy on Education

APPENDIX C∏

WHEREAS, The Americanism Commission, at the suggestion and study of its subcommittee, the Committee on Youth Education, wishes to amend the Policy on Education to reflect current educational terminology and the state of education in the United States of America in the twenty-first century; and

WHEREAS, The Americanism Commission wishes to consolidate previous amendments into this Resolution; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, By the National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 14-15, 2015, That the attached Exhibit A be adopted as expressing the education policy of The American Legion; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That Resolution 31 of the National Executive Committee, October 1992, titled “American Legion: Policy On Education As Amended” and Resolution 27 of the National Executive Committee, October 1993, titled “Amendment To The American Legion Policy on Education” are hereby superseded and rescinded.

EXHIBIT A

THE AMERICAN LEGION 21st-CENTURY POLICY ON EDUCATION

FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS

The American Legion stands strongly in continued support of the principle that education is a vital prerequisite to the successful functioning of a democratic society. While recognizing the right of private and religious groups to maintain schools, The American Legion vigorously subscribes to the necessity of a universal, publicly-supported system of primary, secondary and post-secondary education to ensure that every American child has the opportunity for a free, adequate and appropriate public education. The American Legion believes that popular self-government as created by the covenant set forth in the Constitution of the United States cannot continue to exist unless our country safeguards a continuing system of free public education. Not only does proper national defense require trained personnel, but the daily operations of our local, state and federal governments, our farms, our professions, our commerce and industry, and, in fact, every phase of

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life today, demands that we have competent citizens, who are qualified, willing and able to discharge their responsibilities.

Washington, Jefferson, and Madison stated clearly their beliefs that American citizenship should be based on a system of public enlightenment. The long tradition of public schooling in the United States remains a model for the developed and developing world for the freedom of access, choice and governance found within the system. As competition in the global economic market grows, The American Legion believes it to be fundamental that the public schools of our nation remain such a model.

The availability of educational opportunity for every individual to pursue their own development is fundamental to the achievement of all other social goals. Therefore, our educational system must be designed to provide every person the means to reach their highest potential, which in turn will provide our country as a whole with the highest level of responsible citizens and specialized workers required in the modern world. In turn, we will have greater assurance of economic growth, sound decision-making and social, economic and national security.

The American Legion cannot subscribe to any system suggesting preferential training of elite education only for the classes; rather we put our faith in widespread public education for the masses. Neither do we suggest that

every student can derive the same benefits from education, nor do we mean to convey that the able or exceptional student should be held back to a group pattern.

The model educational system should produce citizens, who in their various careers understand and who are dedicated to the principals of free enterprise; to democratic principles and processes, and whose devotion to freedom and human dignity goes beyond mere lip service.

BASIC STRUCTURE OF AMERICAN EDUCATION

a. Community Public School:

Each community should be served by a system of public elementary and secondary schools, which are sufficiently provided with modern facilities, highly qualified and adequately paid teachers and a rigorous, standards-based educational program. Under such an educational system, educators should be allowed to develop and deliver curricula that meet the needs of their students before and without conforming to a rigid and inflexible set of constraints.

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b. Educational Standards:

Realizing that non-partisan and independent studies clearly show a decline in the academic performance of students from the United States against their international peers, The American Legion supports the efforts of educators, educational programs and educational systems which attempt to raise our students’ educational attainment to the highest levels in the world. Such a revolution is not possible without the adoption of certain educational practices and standards of a universal nature, so long as such standards and practices are designed for the education of the masses and will aid the American public education system in attaining a competitive advantage over other international education systems.

c. Teacher Preparation:

No greater public trust is invested in any person than that given to our nation’s educators. Given much of the responsibility for preparing the youth of today to be the society of tomorrow, these individuals must be exemplary citizens and true experts in their subject matter. Regardless of the manner they arrive to the classroom, traditional schools of education or non-traditional certification programs, we expect no less than highly qualified and completely motivated individuals be given

charge of our children’s education. The American Legion believes in ongoing professional development for teachers regardless of previous experience or tenure.

d. Character Education:

The character or values instilled in a youth are vitally important to their future actions as a citizen. Educational institutions serve a vital role along with home, church and community in delivering appropriate and non-prejudicial character education to the youth of America. As each relies upon the other to foster and support different areas of said character development, these entities should work together in the best interest of the youth in their charge.

e. Services for Children with Special Needs:

Appropriate and if necessary, independent educational services should be available to children with special needs, including the talented, the physically, mentally and emotionally challenged, those with hearing, speech, language, reading or other difficulties, and those with educational delays imposed by migratory status, in order to assist them in fulfilling their potential.

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f. Career and Vocational Education:

All educational systems should provide students with the emotional, academic and vocational skills necessary to achieve entry-level positions within the work force of their economic and/or geographic region. These skills should include but are not limited to: emotional intelligence training, employment seeking skills and practical academic skills. The increasing progress of modern industry and social organizations require workers of increasingly technical skill. Educational systems should be equipped to provide vocational training to all young people who do not desire higher education. Older workers who seek to advance their occupational skill or require retraining because of technological or other changes should also be served by a system of vocational education.

The infusion of career readiness training in all aspects of education provides students an opportunity to make a proper choice regarding their academic and economic futures, or put simply, tough choices of work and school. Their ability to choose successfully adds to the productivity of the Nation. We acknowledge and support the great contribution made in this field by private enterprise.

g. Higher Education:

At no other time in our history as a nation has the strength and necessity of our public higher education system been more important to the American way of life. The individual states and federal governments must remain dedicated to seeing greater rates of college graduation at an affordable cost to students and families. Opportunities for higher education should remain socially and economically available to all qualified individuals. The processes of higher education should serve to enhance opportunities for individuals and thus benefit our whole society.

h. Adult Education:

Public education systems should provide educational opportunities for adults in order to increase their cultural enjoyment; contribute to responsible citizenship; and widen the base of their knowledge. Where necessary, public education systems should provide “second chance” diploma programs to aid in the formation and promotion of a more informed and participatory citizenship.

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i. Private, Parochial and Homeschool Education:

The American Legion recognizes the contributions of individual families, parochial and private institutions in providing educational opportunities at all levels, and the necessity for their continued existence; Furthermore, public funds should be made available to assist students in furthering their education in all types of institutions.

j. Charter and Non-traditional Schools:

The American Legion supports legal and controlled systems of education, which may seem untraditional in the long history of education (i.g. charter or online schools). In the same manner as private, parochial and home school systems, The American Legion believes public funds should be made available to assist such institutions.

k. Mass Media:

Throughout the organizational history of The American Legion, a salient goal has been support for a free and responsible press and mass media to serve the needs of the American people. A free society has a continuing need for trustworthy, non-partisan education about its political, economic and social options. The American people depend largely upon the mass media for lifetime informational needs beyond the years of formal schooling.

The American Legion is forthrightly supportive of professional and objective journalism as the vital vehicle for enlightenment of our citizens throughout their lifetimes. Education does not cease with the end of formal schooling. A responsible press and mass media will always remain a critically needed aspect of a free American society.

l. Family Responsibility:

The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary must assume a leadership role in the promotion of family responsibility in the basic education of the child. We must encourage all entities and organizations, both public and private, in the development of parenting programs designed to provide the strongest possible preschool preparation of the young. These parenting skills need promotion throughout the child's schooling. The outcome to be pursued will be sound basic skills, healthy self-esteem and understanding of interdependence and acceptance of each American to all others. Responsibility throughout lifetimes of parents and children alike is essential to educational well-being of all.

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CONTROL AND FINANCING

The American Legion is opposed to usurping local and state control of schools with federal mandates. The genius of the American public schools has been in its closeness to the people. Our structure of government in its historical development has placed the responsibility of public education upon the individual states. Insomuch as the state is willing and able to provide free and appropriate public education to its students, the federal government should show restraint in involving itself in the affairs of state. Realizing that some states may request or require guidance from the federal government in order to meet international standards for providing competitive educations to America’s students.

The American Legion advocates the proposition that under our system of government each state is vested with the authority, direction and control of public education within its borders in accordance with law. The American Legion further believes in the largest possible measure of home rule in public education and that states should delegate to local communities the greatest autonomy that is feasible. The well-being of individual youth must be the paramount goal of our educational endeavor. Such autonomy should not be used by the local jurisdiction to promote a bias or prejudicial curriculum not composed of scientific, technical and logical facts and reasoning. Local

and proximate school authority remains the best safeguard against misapplication of educational programs for economic or political gain.

FEDERAL EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL INTEREST

a. Armed Forces:

The American Legion recognizes that the Federal government has a continuing and justifiable primary responsibility for organizing, administering, operating and financing educational programs of the Armed Forces.

b. Research:

The American Legion realizes that research, both basic and applied, will create the frontiers of tomorrow in economic, social and civic life. The role of the Federal government in research primarily should support requirements for the operation of programs of Federal agencies. The federal government, state public institutions of higher learning and private agencies all have a responsibility to further the development of research.

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c. "G.I. Bill":

In time of war when young men and women are required to enter the Armed Forces for extended periods of time, it is in the national interest for the federal government, as part of the program for the rehabilitation and restoration of these individuals to proper roles in civilian life, to provide special programs of educational benefits, and thus restore to them opportunities which they lost because of their service in time of war.

Experience under The American Legion sponsored "G.I. Bill" demonstrates the soundness of such applied principle of rehabilitation. The education provided was not only of personal value to the millions of veterans who avail themselves of various educational opportunities, but during the present ongoing period of turmoil due to international terrorism, and the volatile nature of the economy, the current Post-9/11 GI Bill and the GySgt Fry scholarship provide invaluable funding for the post-secondary education of veterans and their families.

d. Educational Leadership:

The needs of the present often far exceed the geographic limitations of the various political subdivisions of our Nation. Leadership at the national level is required in the solution of many of our educational problems. The federal government, through the President, the Congress, and the agencies prescribed through law, has a role of leadership in addressing educational questions related to national interests. However, The American Legion holds that this role of leadership should be exercised with minimal federal control.

ROLE OF THE AMERICAN LEGION

The American Legion maintains a tremendous program of educational and youth activities which are evident in every state in our nation. Within these programs, we sponsor vigorous involvement on the part of our membership with their local schools, as well as offering an array of scholarships for those students showing excellence in their contributions to academia and community service. Additionally, American Legionnaires bear a responsibility of serving on local school boards, and participating in community, state and national efforts to constantly improve education.

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CONCLUSION

The American Legion wholeheartedly subscribes to the proposition that every educational tool should be provided for the fullest development of the mental resources and technical skills of our people. We believe that educational standards should be benchmarked; curricula should be stimulating; teacher preparation should be strengthened; teachers' salaries should be improved; testing and guidance programs should be extended and strengthened; physical facilities for instruction should be expanded and updated; maximum intellectual opportunities should be provided for all students commensurate with capacity to absorb and apply irrespective of financial resources of the student or his or her family. All of this should be done to strengthen our position in the global education market, and return our students to the forefront of educational attainment and our schools to educational leadership.

The American Legion further believes that the citizens of this country should be dedicated to the pursuance of excellence in the entire realm of intellectual endeavor; that our people should recognize and honor those persons who have developed their intellectual abilities to the fullest extent; that teachers should enrich their knowledge and capacity particularly in the fields in which they teach (making them highly qualified); and that

scholarship assistance to deserving students should be expanded.

A major result of our educational process must be to provide people with the finest training in the world in basic skills of communication and critical thought, reasoning, and comprehension. School programs should be constantly re-appraised to see that they accomplish these objectives.

Such educational programs will fulfill the dreams of the past, the needs of the present and the aspirations of the future. The American Legion supports such a system of education, and believes that the vitality of our democratic way of life is dependent upon such schools.

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As a veteran of the armed forces of the United States of America, you possess an experience only shared with about 7.3 percent of the country’s population. (If you are currently serving, you are among roughly 1 percent of the population.) Regardless if you served in the air, on land or at sea, telling your story is vital to the preservation of American heritage and patriotism. However, you may be unsure how to share your story with students as young or younger than you were at the time your service began.

The following is a guide for telling your story. You may choose to follow the procedure completely as described or mix and match the elements to meet the needs of your audience. However you decide to share your story, the

important thing is to be confident in its telling - which may require some practice.

Remember, many audience members will be more actively engaged with visuals, and actively involved with your story. Use the other areas of this guide to assist you with fostering activity to go along with your story. And, bring along pictures and memorabilia from your time in the service.

1 - Biographical Information

Tell your audience a bit about where you’re from and how you were raised. Answer the questions about who your parents and/or siblings were. Be sure to address what you were doing prior to your service.

2 - Choosing the Service

Students want to know why you chose the military and to which branch of service you belonged. They are particularly interested in the boot camp experience, how it shaped you, and how your new life in the military differed from your civilian one.

41

Veterans in Community Schools - How to Share Your Story and Other

Resources

APPENDIX D∏

3 - Continued and/or Wartime Service

If you served during a period of war or inside a combat theater, this information is golden to curious students. They grow up with distant often fictionalized images of war and suffering. The ability to give them a first person account of why “war is hell” is invaluable. However, you should only talk about subjects you feel comfortable discussing, and in discussing scenes of war with students, you should not sanitize your account, but you should use an extreme amount of tact. Additionally, you should consider the ages and maturity levels of the students to whom you are speaking when deciding on content.

More important than the blood-and-glory elements of a story are the human relationships and bonds formed through shared military service. What kept you strong? If you stayed in for more than a single enlistment, what was the motivation? Who supported you through deployments and duty station transfers?

4 - Leaving the Service

Many students will remember why you entered and exited more than any other part of your story. They want to understand why you left when you did. What was your readjustment like? How do you balance any lingering

feelings of pride, sadness, trauma or a combination of them all? This is also a good time to bring up your Legion affiliation. Discuss what the Legion means to you, and the impact The American Legion has on the local, state and national levels.

5 - Reflections

You may be able to wrap up your portion of the story with area four. However, if given time to ask questions, students will push deeper to know more. These students may be weighing their own options for joining the military. They may be trying to understand a family member’s struggle or point-of-view. Make it clear what legacy you hope to leave and why you are sharing your story. You should leave your audience with a sense of respect and a thirst to know even more about all the men and women who have donned the uniform for the United States.

Resources for Aiding Veterans in Community Schools

Joe Foss Institute - Do you think civics and civic education need to become a stronger part of education? The Joe Foss Institute offers not only a fully updated and standards-based civics curriculum, the institute is leading a national effort to re-introduce civics education in classrooms. Additionally, it

42

offers personal-size American flags for use in classrooms. For more information, visit: www.joefossinstitute.org

Veterans History Project - Sponsored by the Library of Congress, this long-running program is devoted to capturing and preserving the experiences of American veterans. The field kit provides a vehicle for working with students (grades 10 or higher) in conducting and preserving interviews and artifacts regarding a veterans’ service. For more information, visit: www.loc.gov/vets/

Legion Publications - The American Legion boasts a wealth of publications to aid volunteers in clearly communicating the message of the Legion and the message of Americanism to the masses. You can find and download all current publications at www.legion.org/publications.

My Hero Is Contest - Discovery Education sponsors this annual Veterans Day contest to promote interaction with veterans by teachers and students. The contest involves interviewing veterans and submitting short (30-second) tribute videos. For more information, visit: www.discoveryeducation.com/MyHeroIs/

The Congressional Medal of Honor Character Development Program - Supported by a commending resolution from The American Legion, this is a program designed by teachers to provide students with opportunities to explore the important concepts of courage, commitment, sacrifice, patriotism, integrity, and citizenship and how these values can be exemplified in daily life.

While drawn from the personal accounts of living Medal of Honor recipients, this collection of lesson plans does not glorify or glamorize war. On the contrary, these dramatic “living histories” and the accompanying instructional activities encourage students to consider each concept from their own perspectives. The character of these men is what stands out in each story. The Medal of Honor recipients demonstrate and articulate many of the abstract principles upon which our nation was founded in a way that makes those principles very real. For more information, visit: www.cmohedu.org

National Flight Academy - Supported by a commending resolution from The American Legion, the National Flight Academy experience is one of the most exciting and immersive learning adventures in the world aboard the world’s largest simulated aircraft carrier. It’s an experience for seventh through 12th graders that inspires interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

43

Participants live for six days in a multi-story, 102,000-square-foot facility experiencing interactive thrills surrounded by advanced technology, flight simulators, and virtual reality games that ignite imagination and encourage learning. www.nationalflightacademy.com

Scholastic Education - Scholastic is a longtime, forefront proponent of cutting-edge curricula and foundational reading programs. Through their efforts and programs, teachers, students, and community members can become a unified team in combating illiteracy and promoting the virtues of becoming a life-long learner. www.scholastic.com

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The American Legion

Americanism Commission

Scholarships and Youth Education

PO Box 1055

Indianapolis, IN 46206

Visit www.legion.org/scholarships, contact legioned@legion.org or call 317.630.1212.

THE AMERICAN LEGION

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