Kathianne
11-12-2011, 12:44 AM
The public schools around here do not take off for Veteran's Day any longer. They are in school and at the ones I'm at focus the day on those who serve, have served, and will serve.
As I drove up to the school in the dark, I immediately noticed that surrounding the walkways and sidewalk up to the school, the patriotically decorated luminarias lighting the way. There were over 2500 of them. There were also small flags flanking each luminaria. Again this year donated funds for bags, candles, sand, decorations, and flags came from parents and students. Classes took turns replacing the candles as the day went on, until the assembly for the last hour of class.
I walked into school at 6:30 am, usually way before all but the athletes doing weight training. This morning in the 'Commons' there were about 75 students that had set up the walks and were now decorating the entry way. Over the speakers, loudly enough to overwhelm MP3 players was military music and songs about American military. They kept playing it until the bell rung at 7:20, going immediately into the Pledge of Allegiance. They resumed playing the music for each passing period, iPods were not in evidence today; probably because the speaker music was so loud!
Classes were shortened from 50 minutes to 33, though the 3 lunch hours were kept whole, each is 2 lunch sessions.
At 1:10, 8th period the principal came on the speaker system and reminded the kids that the assembly was for Veteran's Day, a sober event, not a celebration of winning state in a sport or even academic area. He set the tone that the 5 minute passing should be quiet and dignified, not rambunctious for getting out of classes. 8th period was dismissed and the students had 5 minutes to get their stuff in their lockers and report to assigned class seating in the gym. Attendance for the last period was taken in the gym, not in the normal 8th period classes and the kids were told it would be thus. Skip the assembly, hit with an unexcused absence. I really thought there would be complaints, didn't hear one.
It took about 10 minutes to get everyone situated, while that was happening, two projectors were running pictures from Revolutionary-current Afghanistan and Iraq situations. Focus on all were the soldiers and their interactions with people. The closing of that montage was on the military academies of the US. Nice touch I thought, would be brought up later.
The social studies Chairman opened the assembly, he emphasized that the focus was on those who served, not on war or the times where was is necessary.
He then announced that the 'honored guests, veterans of the US,' would be entering. The kids automatically stood up and applauded LOUDLY! Then gave the 'normal' greetings for those whose achievements merit assemblies, whistles and feet stomping on the wooden bleachers. They kept it up until the vets were seated. Then they immediately stopped and sat down! Yes, they are usually pretty well behaved, but this was exceptional.
The Chair then gave a bit of an intro and asked each vet, (there were probably 25 vets and there were 5 active military there), then asked each to briefly say what they did after their service. Each got applause, those currently serving have been to the school pretty often and know a lot of the kids, so at first it seemed they were going to get the largest reception. Then one local vet, who'd joined the Marines in 1939 and was captured by the Japanese before D-Day and wasn't released until 1945 from China was introduced. The kids went nuts, yelling, "Speech, speech!" He addressed them for about 1 minute, 45 seconds longer than the others. The kids gave him a huge applause and you could tell he was touched.
After that, the orchestra played and the choir sung each anthem for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. A spot light went on the flags that were hung from the ceiling while each was being honored. The only branch without a vet was the Coast Guard. Each of the others had several.
The only speaker to 'outshine' if one could put it that way, the POW from WWII was the mother of a former student KIA last year, her son a 2007 grad of the school. She had one of her daughters with her, a current student. She thanked the kids for honoring all who served or will. She said that she was proud of how many students from the school apply before and after college. She also took a minute to say how much the school, parents, and students have supported her and her other 3 children since the death of her son. So many tears from young and old.
As I drove up to the school in the dark, I immediately noticed that surrounding the walkways and sidewalk up to the school, the patriotically decorated luminarias lighting the way. There were over 2500 of them. There were also small flags flanking each luminaria. Again this year donated funds for bags, candles, sand, decorations, and flags came from parents and students. Classes took turns replacing the candles as the day went on, until the assembly for the last hour of class.
I walked into school at 6:30 am, usually way before all but the athletes doing weight training. This morning in the 'Commons' there were about 75 students that had set up the walks and were now decorating the entry way. Over the speakers, loudly enough to overwhelm MP3 players was military music and songs about American military. They kept playing it until the bell rung at 7:20, going immediately into the Pledge of Allegiance. They resumed playing the music for each passing period, iPods were not in evidence today; probably because the speaker music was so loud!
Classes were shortened from 50 minutes to 33, though the 3 lunch hours were kept whole, each is 2 lunch sessions.
At 1:10, 8th period the principal came on the speaker system and reminded the kids that the assembly was for Veteran's Day, a sober event, not a celebration of winning state in a sport or even academic area. He set the tone that the 5 minute passing should be quiet and dignified, not rambunctious for getting out of classes. 8th period was dismissed and the students had 5 minutes to get their stuff in their lockers and report to assigned class seating in the gym. Attendance for the last period was taken in the gym, not in the normal 8th period classes and the kids were told it would be thus. Skip the assembly, hit with an unexcused absence. I really thought there would be complaints, didn't hear one.
It took about 10 minutes to get everyone situated, while that was happening, two projectors were running pictures from Revolutionary-current Afghanistan and Iraq situations. Focus on all were the soldiers and their interactions with people. The closing of that montage was on the military academies of the US. Nice touch I thought, would be brought up later.
The social studies Chairman opened the assembly, he emphasized that the focus was on those who served, not on war or the times where was is necessary.
He then announced that the 'honored guests, veterans of the US,' would be entering. The kids automatically stood up and applauded LOUDLY! Then gave the 'normal' greetings for those whose achievements merit assemblies, whistles and feet stomping on the wooden bleachers. They kept it up until the vets were seated. Then they immediately stopped and sat down! Yes, they are usually pretty well behaved, but this was exceptional.
The Chair then gave a bit of an intro and asked each vet, (there were probably 25 vets and there were 5 active military there), then asked each to briefly say what they did after their service. Each got applause, those currently serving have been to the school pretty often and know a lot of the kids, so at first it seemed they were going to get the largest reception. Then one local vet, who'd joined the Marines in 1939 and was captured by the Japanese before D-Day and wasn't released until 1945 from China was introduced. The kids went nuts, yelling, "Speech, speech!" He addressed them for about 1 minute, 45 seconds longer than the others. The kids gave him a huge applause and you could tell he was touched.
After that, the orchestra played and the choir sung each anthem for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. A spot light went on the flags that were hung from the ceiling while each was being honored. The only branch without a vet was the Coast Guard. Each of the others had several.
The only speaker to 'outshine' if one could put it that way, the POW from WWII was the mother of a former student KIA last year, her son a 2007 grad of the school. She had one of her daughters with her, a current student. She thanked the kids for honoring all who served or will. She said that she was proud of how many students from the school apply before and after college. She also took a minute to say how much the school, parents, and students have supported her and her other 3 children since the death of her son. So many tears from young and old.