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Mission statement - To connect Goochland High School 11th grade U.S. history students with local veterans to promote student leadership, civic engagement, community involvement, and respect for those that served that extends far beyond the classroom.
Mission statement - To connect Goochland High School 11th grade U.S. history students with local veterans to promote student leadership, civic engagement, community involvement, and respect for those that served that extends far beyond the classroom.
The Goochland High School Veterans Project was founded in 2022 by Mrs. Rachel Tate to give 11th-grade Dual Enrollment U.S. History students a meaningful, community-centered opportunity to honor local veterans and bring living history into the classroom. What began as a small co-curricular initiative has quickly grown into a signature program for our school and community.
The GHS Veterans Project is modeled after the Poquoson Veterans Project, which Mrs. Tate co-founded with her mother, Mrs. Becky Morrison, at Poquoson High School in 2017. Many of the original student–veteran pairs formed in that first year are still close today, a testament to the powerful relationships these projects inspire.
Mrs. Morrison (left) directs the Poquoson Veterans Project and Mrs. Tate (right) directs the GHS Veterans Project
What We Do
What We Do
Each fall, students are paired with a local veteran volunteer whom they “adopt” for the school year. Through guided interviews at our kickoff luncheon—donated by Chick-fil-A 288 & Broad—students record their veteran’s military history and write a biography honoring their service.
Throughout the year, students and veterans participate together in a variety of events, including:
Honorary captain recognitions at home football and basketball games
Wreaths Across America (student participation tripling since 2022)
Purple Heart Truck events and Marine Corps League golf tournaments
A spring Honor Flight–style trip to Washington, D.C., visiting memorials connected to each veteran’s service
A holiday gathering
A Spring picnic and fishing day
This shared time creates connections that often continue well beyond the school year. Many of our students still visit, volunteer with, and keep in touch with their veterans long after the project ends.
Student Leadership & School Partnerships
Student Leadership & School Partnerships
Our senior interns, selected through application and interview, help lead the project, organize events, support new students, and serve as program ambassadors. Many describe this role as the most meaningful part of their high school experience.
The GHS Veterans Project is strengthened by collaboration across the school community:
Marketing students design our branding, social media, and promotional materials
Marine Corps Junior ROTC, football, band, and cheer programs help honor veterans at athletic events
Local businesses and organizations partner with us to sponsor meals, transportation, and community service opportunities
Recognition & Impact
Recognition & Impact
Our growing project has received support from the Lansing Foundation, Dominion Energy, and more, and Mrs. Tate has been recognized locally, regionally, and nationally for her work bringing living history and civic engagement into the classroom. She now mentors teachers across the country who are building veterans projects of their own and collaborates with national organizations on veterans–student engagement.
The Poquoson Veterans Project—our sister program—has received national attention, winning the National Community Service Award from the Friends of the World War II Memorial, hosting Department of Defense–sponsored speakers, and securing major grants from Dominion Energy and Newport News Shipbuilding.
To learn more, visit their project site.
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