Blog

November 2022

In honor of Veterans Day 2022, the Maryland chapter of the SPV Club took several initiatives to commemorate the Veterans in our schools, offices, and communities far and wide. Throughout the painstaking process of decorating doors, cutting up old flags, and marching in thirty-degree weather, many people stopped and asked me: what made you start this organization? With this simple question, I had the opportunity for catharsis—to reflect on what it truly means to give back to our Veterans as students. 

Growing up in a competitive school environment, I can’t remember the age I started to worry about college. I can’t remember exactly when I began comparing test scores, checking and rechecking my GPA, or being weighed down by the sheer workload. Looking back, I realize the most pressure did not come from my parents, teachers, or friends—but me.  

Then, the day after major college decisions in 2018, I heard the news: a beloved senior at our school had tragically taken his life. As unexpected as it was, his suicide was not the first one to happen in our community, but I knew I must take action to make it the last. 

Our insufficient societal response to mental health plagues me. Every day, teens are expected to carry the burden of excellence in a variety of environments such as school and extracurriculars, leading to feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress that are never truly addressed in educational institutions. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted in-person social connections and crucial support systems, further exacerbating the issue. Even when we do discuss mental health, it's often glossed over as a stigma, an abnormality that manifests as a loud and clear crisis. This blatantly ignores the silent symptoms, including withdrawing from social situations or loved ones. 

Where do Veterans come into this picture? Far too often we don’t see or acknowledge their efforts to preserve our country. It is clear that Veterans embody values that all of us strive for: courage, perseverance, and drive to succeed. As unsung heroes, countless Veterans struggle and have struggled with mental health, years after their acts of service. Countless Veterans don't receive the resources, counselors, or financial reimbursement they need to get back on their feet. Yet they still try, everyday, to get up. 

The symbiotic relationship between us students and honored Veterans is a beautiful one—it keeps giving and giving back. Veterans adore being surrounded by youthful spirit, while students take away many messages of courage and resilience by hearing wartime experiences. Especially for that one teenager who may feel adrift in a raging storm of responsibilities, there is hope to be found in hearing words of wisdom, both on and off the battlefield, from a Veteran. 

Naomi Ling, President

September 2022

The SPV Club can be spotted in local newspapers! As a culmination of lessons learned from 10+ Veteran interviews, the Maryland chapter President Naomi Ling penned an article detailing our journey over the past four years. To read more, visit this link: https://indd.adobe.com/view/72a9b4a3-0195-4cd8-b2e5-678869b9b8ae. The article is on Page 9. 

May 2022

The SPV organization is officially celebrating its 4th anniversary! With over 25 members across 4+ states and more than $1,000 fundraised since 2018, we've expanded our club in more ways than I could imagine. In honor of our anniversary and Memorial Day this month, I'm starting this online blog in order to instill our vision and transparent values into a larger audience. My hope is that our humbling experiences in community service can inspire future generations of student leaders to seek knowledge from the Veterans of our country as well. 

In May 2018, I met members of the American Legion Post 156 at the annual Veteran's Fair. Colonel Ed Hall and Colonel Lou Schott were among the first Veterans that I bumped into, and I was immediately in awe of their willingness to share their stories with an eager listener. They were enthusiastic about the premise of the SPV Club and offered to help establish it in Howard County. Additionally, they bestowed us the honor of interviewing then 97-year-old World War II Veteran Colonel Schott as one of our first Maryland chapter activities. 

I had little idea of what to expect before interviewing my first Veteran. My experiences with greeting retired servicemen and women thus far consisted only of murmured "thank-you's" and nods when I recognized their embellished uniforms or caps. I, like many other Americans, was so far removed from the thriving Veteran community around me that I had no idea how to approach one, and my Googling beforehand didn't help matters much. 

We commenced our first interview amidst a bustling restaurant atmosphere, but as I immersed myself in the world of Colonel Schott's stories, the din eventually faded away into white noise. I had never heard such vivid and raw tales of courage and grit before, not only of this Veteran, but of his comrades in particular. For his tenacious age, Colonel Schott proved to be stunningly eloquent in the way he described each scene. When I requested a tale of courage, he paused, wistfulness flitting across his face. He recounted the story of Captain Carlton Rouh, a First Lieutenant who risked his life to save two other Marines on Peleliu Island. “He threw himself on a hand grenade to save their lives. He covered it with his body,” the Colonel recalled. Captain Rouh was the only Marine to survive that grenade. 

I then asked to hear a story of unity or cooperation. Immediately, the Colonel replied, “We’re a team. That’s what the Marines are…we probably had the most complicated military operations. [Cooperation] was in our daily training. So it’s done everyday in every operation.” That seems like what any team should say. 

Finally, I concluded by asking, “What message would you like to share with future generations of students and teens?” The Colonel nodded and said, “I would like to let them know of the beauty of sacrifices people make in the time of war. And not only of the people who go off into foreign countries to fight, but also of the people at home.” He explained that particularly in World War II, everybody had “a piece of the action.” Civilians at home rationed food and sent care packages to the soldiers. “We couldn’t do our job without the people at home,” he added. “I would like to think that the coming generations can… maintain our kind of motivation… while doing things that are tough or [undesirable]. There are things greater than life. Always have courage.” 

Naomi Ling, President