Middle School Students Present A ‘Star-Spangled’ Day For Veterans

By Larissa Lytwyn

Four years ago, Newtown Middle School social studies teacher Shari Oliver took the initiative to begin a special event to educate her students on the meaning behind Veterans’ Day.

“I just felt, especially after September 11, that no one was really honoring the veterans properly anymore,” Ms Oliver said. “We wanted to make a difference.”

This year’s event, held November 10, was stronger than ever.

“We had a wonderful turnout, more than last year,” said teacher Elizabeth Stevens.

Approximately 23 veterans, as well as community dignitaries including Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff, attended the event.

The seventh grade purple cluster hosted the breakfast, bringing in all the edibles, including bagels, donuts, pastries, and fruit.

Red, white, and blue balloons, crepe paper, and other festive decorations, including American flag-colored carnations, were all on display.

Students and faculty were also encouraged to dress in red, white, and blue.

“In the past, students often believed that Veterans’ Day was just a day off from school,” said Ms Stevens. “The breakfast allowed students to interact with local veterans so that they could really understand the meaning of it.”

Erin Manion invited family friend Kristen Grauer, an Army veteran of the Gulf War, to attend.

Ms Grauer, a co-worker of Erin’s mother at a local marketing firm, was the breakfast’s only female attendee. “I served between 1993 to 2001,” said Ms Grauer, a 1993 Newtown High School graduate. “I never fought on the frontlines [of the Gulf War], but worked as a Korean linguist.”

Ms Grauer said she had always had a penchant for learning languages, and said the skills she applied helped American interrogators.

As a member of the Army, she still had to undergo basic training, as well as other required military training programs.

“Being in the Army, for me, was an amazing experience,” she said. “If I had to do it over again, I would.” She said she made lifelong connections and is proud to have been a member of the armed forces.

“It was interesting listening to Kristen’s story,” said Erin. “I learned a lot, like what basic training was like.”

World War II Navy veteran Gordon Johnson was invited to the breakfast by his grandson, Chris Segovia.

Mr Johnson said he loved attending the breakfast, and was eager to share stories of his encounters with Japanese battleships and other adventures. “It was an exciting time,” Mr Johnson remembered. “After Pearl Harbor, everyone was volunteering to join.”

Though Chris said he had heard many of his grandfather’s stories before, they were always interesting to listen to. “He went through a lot,” he said.

In the weeks before the honorary breakfast, seventh grade purple cluster students learned about the military through both their social studies and language arts classes.

Ms Oliver had her students research various aspects of the military and create songs, poems, and commemorative essays infusing the knowledge they had acquired.

Ms Oliver’s class also created a “Wall of Heroes,” in which students’ military serving veterans were honored through commemorative photographs, poems, mementos, and notes of appreciation.

Language arts teacher Kathy Murray guided students’ creation of a “Wall of Respect,” comprised of individual student murals honoring the military’s five branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and National Guard. Students then chose class winners.

After lessons on calculating size change in math classes with teachers Maryann Mark and Joanna Von Hollon, enlarged portions of student winners’ pictures were painted and fitted together to form the five representative murals.

The breakfast culminated with a song and presentation program hosted by Jenn Callery and Brad Biscoe.

Chris McCann sang “America the Beautiful.” Celine Currier sang her original song, “For America,” which included the line, “America is not America without you.”

Casey Tenney conducted a multimedia PowerPoint presentation, “Thank You, Vets” set to Lee Greenwood’s song “Proud to Be an American.” Casey dedicated his presentation to his uncle, who is currently serving in Iraq.

Dressed in his grandfather’s original Navy uniform, Scott Simon educated guests on the history of the American military uniform from the Civil War-era through today.

Chris Caulfield presented a PowerPoint presentation also entitled, “Thank you, Vets.”

Samantha Dinnan shared her essay on the important values of military service, including loyalty, honor, and courage.

Jesse Lewis conducted a digital presentation, “In Remembrance” honoring soldiers currently serving in Iraq.

Sheena Finlayson and Andrew Nichols sang a stirring duet of Josh Groban’s “You Raise Me Up.”

Andrew then presented an original “Patriotic Video” honoring American veterans from the Civil War era to today.

Finally, the event was concluded with a student-and-veteran rendition of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.”