Friends Alyssa Williams and Alex Delise worried about the homeless people they saw. They realized that many were veterans, and they wondered how was it possible that people who had dedicated part of their lives to serving their country had ended up without a place to live. Students at MacFarlane Park Magnet School for International Studies, the two have been encouraged throughout their elementary years to grow in wisdom, nurture an open and curious mind and serve others with a generous spirit.

Alyssa and Alex spent hours researching the causes of unemployment among veterans. They discovered that many veterans do not know how to translate their military experience and skills into civilian jobs and that many employers are unaware of the skills enlisted men and women gain while in the military. To help reverse this situation, Alyssa and Alex created a website to raise awareness about veteran homelessness and to serve as a place where veterans can post their resume. The two also developed an online resume game to help veterans determine if their resume includes information that will get them hired. They sent the information to CareerSource professionals and attended a Home for Heroes event, where they circulated a petition and handed out information brochures and “Hire Me Now” buttons.

“The International Baccalaureate (IB) principles focus on how students can be worldly people,” said Alex’s mom, Laura Delise. “They teach students to not just focus on themselves, but to look at how their actions will impact the world.”

To see the website Alyssa and Alex created visit:
hireveteransnow.weebly.com.