A $100,000 contribution from the Timothy T. Day Foundation will help an Arizona nonprofit expand a program connecting students with military veterans, giving young people opportunities to preserve firsthand accounts of history while developing writing, communication and leadership skills.
"We actually want them to do it from year to year because the more that they participate, the more veterans they meet, the more they learn and the greater the impact for the student," said Michelle DiMuro, executive director for Imprints of Honor.
Imprints of Honor, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, operates an after-school character and civic education program with 33 school and college chapters, including 31 in Arizona. Seven new Arizona chapters have been established for the 2026-27 school year, and the funding will help cover participation costs, recruit additional schools and expand outreach to military veterans.
Five of the new chapters include Fountain Hills High School, Heritage Academy in Mesa, Rancho Solano Preparatory School and Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, and Westar Elementary School in Goodyear.
Two additional chapters have opened in rural Arizona at Dishchii'bikoh Community School in Cibecue and Valentine Elementary School in Peach Springs. Both are designated Title I schools, where Imprints of Honor covers participation fees to reduce financial barriers.
The organization now has 23 chapters in the Phoenix area, six in northern Arizona, two in southern Arizona and two outside the state.
DiMuro said parents began recognizing changes in their children, including greater confidence and stronger communication skills, following involvement in the program.
"They're setting goals for themselves, they want to make their veterans proud," she said.
The program pairs students with veterans for interviews about their military experiences. Students research their subjects, conduct and record interviews, write stories and help publish an annual collection titled "Since You Asked." The interviews are also submitted to the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.
"They're getting all these really good lessons — first person history, but they're getting lessons about leadership and teamwork and perseverance and being accountable," DiMuro said.
Students are responsible for contacting veterans, scheduling interviews, explaining the project, writing their stories and incorporating feedback. Some also participate in committees that organize the annual book reception, where veterans are recognized for their service.
From classroom project to statewide program
The program traces its beginnings to 1998, when history teacher Barbara Hatch's students watched the film "Saving Private Ryan" and questioned how accurately it portrayed World War II.
Hatch contacted local veterans through a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Fountain Hills and invited them to speak with her students. The classroom visits developed into a student oral history project supported by an educational grant from Salt River Project.
What began as a classroom assignment grew into an after-school club and eventually a nonprofit organization in 2009.
DiMuro said parents began noticing changes in their children as they participated in the program, including greater confidence, stronger communication skills and a growing sense of responsibility.
Veterans also found value in sharing their experiences and building relationships with younger generations.
"They felt value obviously in being appreciated but value in continuing to serve and to educate these kids and build relationships with the kids," DiMuro said.
Funding removes barriers for schools
The new contribution will help Imprints of Honor expand its reach while reducing financial barriers that might prevent schools from participating.
Schools are generally asked to budget up to $200 per veteran interview to help cover publication and program expenses. However, the organization covers participation costs for new schools during their first year and continues covering those costs for Title I schools.
"For new schools, we cover that cost the first year so they can kind of get up and going and they don't have to worry about how are they going to raise that money," DiMuro said.
For existing chapters, schools are responsible for the first 15 interviews, while Imprints of Honor covers additional interviews to encourage greater student participation.
"We want them to grow and, you know, get more kids, do more interviews, but we don't want that to be a cost burden," DiMuro said.
The grant will also support curriculum materials, teacher training, software licenses, recording resources, publication expenses and school visits by program staff.
Students use an online learning management system that guides them through the interview and writing process. Teachers receive training and resources to help manage the program throughout the school year.
Students interested in publishing can also learn to use Adobe InDesign and Photoshop while working with program staff on book layouts.
The funding also will support outreach at educational conferences and recruitment efforts aimed at bringing the program to more schools.
Expanding opportunities for Marine veterans
Part of the contribution will specifically support efforts to increase participation among Marine Corps veterans, who are underrepresented in the program.
Marines account for about 13% of the more than 3,400 veterans interviewed since the program began. Of approximately 200 veterans currently on the organization's interest list, only 20 are Marines.
The organization hopes to recruit 150 Marine veterans to participate during the current school year.
"Part of this grant, it's to help us to engage and get more Marine veterans." said DiMuro.
Under the grant, participating schools can conduct up to five Marine veteran interviews with the associated participation costs covered.
Timothy T. Day, founder of the foundation and a Marine Corps veteran, participated in the program himself and was featured in the 2013 edition of "Since You Asked."
"The Marine Corps profoundly influenced my life and shaped the values of leadership, discipline and service that have guided me throughout my career," Day said in the organization's announcement.
"Imprints of Honor gives young people the unique opportunity to learn directly from our veterans while ensuring their stories and experiences are preserved for future generations."
Although part of the funding targets Marine recruitment, DiMuro emphasized that the program welcomes veterans from every military branch.
Lessons beyond the classroom
In addition to conducting interviews, participating students engage in civic activities such as Veterans Day parades, Wreaths Across America ceremonies and Pearl Harbor remembrance events.
Students also organize veteran speaker programs, school assemblies and community presentations.
The program culminates each spring with a public reception celebrating the veterans and students who participated. The event includes a book signing, recognition of military service branches and presentations by students.
DiMuro said the reception typically draws between 500 and 1,000 attendees and is open to the public. The next reception is scheduled for April 25, 2027, at 1 p.m. at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix.
The organization currently serves more than 300 students and 300 veterans annually through its interview program and reaches more than 1,500 additional students through veteran speaker presentations, according to the nonprofit.
"It really opens up their perspective, helps them see outside their, you know, bubble and appreciate how fortunate they are."
DiMuro said the program's value extends beyond the classroom because students gain practical skills while veterans have an opportunity to share their experiences with future generations.
"It's investing in kids, it's investing in veterans, and it's investing in the community because we all benefit," she said.
Veterans interested in participating can register at imprintsofhonor.org/veterans. Additional information about the program is available at imprintsofhonor.org.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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