This project will develop a professional development seminar for 17 K-12 educators drawn from the new york metropolitan area

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York, doing business as RFCUNY - LaGuardia Community College, received a $280,000 Project Grant from the National Cemetery Administration under the Veterans Legacy Grants Program (CFDA 64.204) awarded September 1, 2025, with a completion date of August 31, 2026. The primary deliverables include the development and delivery of a professional development seminar for 17 K-12 educators from the New York Metropolitan Area, focused on historical research methodologies related to veterans interred at Cypress Hills National Cemetery. Participants will produce educational materials and veteran biographies for publication to the Veterans Legacy Memorial platform, with content derived from historical resources and archival research materials pertaining to the cemetery's interred veterans.

The grant-funded project also encompasses a guided tour and educational experience at Cypress Hills National Cemetery for participating educators, during which they will gain familiarity with the cemetery's history, visit significant monuments, and study the stories and contributions of interred individuals. These educator-developed materials and training initiatives are designed to create K-12 curriculum resources that promote community engagement and commemorate the histories of veterans, aligning with the Veterans Legacy Grants Program's emphasis on developing grade-appropriate educational content and fostering connections between students, educators, and local communities through cemetery-based learning experiences.

Participants will familiarize themselves with historical resources and other research materials to produce educational materials which relate to the stories of the veterans interred in cypress hills national cemetery. Students will generate biographies of veterans interred at the cemetery that will be published to VLM. Participants will also be given a guided tour of cypress hills national cemetery where they will become acquainted with the history of the cemetery, visit the important monuments located there, and familiarize themselves with the stories of the individuals interred there.