Students investigate how thoughtful media can honor local veterans by connecting wellness, accurate health science, and a local resource, program, or story. Beginning with a Story to Strategy Sprint, pairs or trios research and create an evidence-informed media product with guidance from veteran-serving organizations, VA wellness staff, and community media mentors. Groups exchange rough cuts or mockups, use partner feedback to make targeted revisions, and present at the Veteran Voices Showcase gallery walk for peers, teachers, and community partners. Students gather audience feedback and reflect on content mastery, teamwork, audience awareness, academic growth, and a next step for learning about veteran wellness.

Students will research veteran wellness, local resources, and accurate health science by developing a focused question and synthesizing credible sources. In pairs or trios, students will transform an initial pitch, visual hook, and call to action into an accessible, evidence-informed media project that respectfully highlights a local resource, program, or story. Students will use digital media strategically, communicate with empathy, share decisions, and revise a rough cut or mockup based on partner and community-expert feedback. During the Veteran Voices Showcase, students will present their work, gather audience feedback, and reflect on content mastery, teamwork, audience awareness, academic growth, and a next step for learning.

Pairs or trios will begin with a 30-second pitch, visual hook, and responsible call to action about a veteran wellness topic. They will develop a research brief synthesizing accurate health science, local resources or published stories, then create a storyboard or prototype with accessible text, visuals, and audio. Groups will exchange rough cuts or mockups, document one strength and one revision need, and use peer, teacher, or community-partner feedback to make a targeted improvement. The final product will be an evidence-informed video, podcast, digital story, or interactive presentation shared at the Veteran Voices Showcase, accompanied by source credits and a reflection on content mastery, audience awareness, teamwork, and next steps.

Begin with a Story to Strategy Sprint: pairs or trios choose one veteran wellness topic and examine a short, verified story or local resource provided by a veteran-serving organization. In 15 minutes, groups create a 30-second pitch, a visual hook, and a responsible call to action that connects the topic to accurate health science without assuming or sensationalizing veterans’ experiences. Groups present their ideas, then peers and a community partner offer feedback on accuracy, empathy, and audience impact. Close by introducing the essential question and having each group identify one research question to guide its media project.

Host a Veteran Voices Showcase gallery walk where peers, teachers, VA wellness staff, veteran-serving organizations, and community media mentors view each group’s evidence-informed media project. Partners rotate between presenting and reviewing, using a brief feedback form to note accurate health science, respectful storytelling, effective digital media, and a clear connection to a local resource or story. After the showcase, groups discuss audience feedback and complete a reflection on content mastery, teamwork, audience awareness, and one next step for learning about veteran wellness in the community.