Wakulla High School Students Engage with Veterans to Explore American Citizenship and Service
Wakulla High School (WHS) teacher Nancy Floyd Richardson has integrated local veterans into her English 3 Honors classroom to provide students with firsthand accounts of military service and American citizenship. This initiative is part of a larger project that includes research, interviews, creative writing, and public speaking, culminating in entries for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy scholarship competition. The 2026-2027 theme, 'What a Veteran Taught Me About America,' prompted Richardson to bring veterans directly to students who might not have personal connections to military service. Veterans from various eras, including the Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, shared their experiences, discussing both the adventures and challenges of military life, such as separation from family, difficult decisions, and the loss of fellow service members. The program aims to help students understand the privileges and responsibilities of American citizenship as they approach voting age.