TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Students salute veterans

ADVERTISEMENT

By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

cpastor@tampatrib.com

Published: November 25, 2009

KEYSTONE - It was a morning dedicated to veterans, with flags lining the sidewalks and swinging overhead from the ceiling.

Northwest Elementary students dressed in red, white and blue, decorated the hallways with patriotic art and learned the anthems for each branch of the military. They planned to thank veterans for their service during a special ceremony in front of the school.

But Army Col. Christopher Long wanted to make sure the students knew how important they were, too.

Long, the guest speaker at the Nov. 13 event, called together the military representatives before the festivities began.

"This is as much about the kids as us," Long told them. "What we're here to really celebrate is their patriotism, not our service."

Northwest's program capped a week of activities at schools countywide in honor of Veterans Day. Several schools hosted breakfasts for veterans and active military members. A veteran set up a war memorabilia display at Chamberlain High and answered student questions. Lake Magdalene Elementary children wrote thank you letters to veterans in the hospital.

Northwest has held its ceremony annually for 16 years, said Principal Darlene Carter. She was working at the school when the tradition began under Principal K. Lynn Wade. The staff had been looking for ways to instill patriotism and respect for the military among the children, she said.

And it continues long past Veterans Day.

Classes ship letters and care packages overseas and send Valentines to veterans in local hospitals. Wednesdays are "patriotic days," featuring the ringing of the on-campus Freedom Bell. Children wear red, white and blue and hear a patriotic message on the morning show.

In preparation for the Veterans Day program, each grade studied a military branch and kindergartners learned about the flag. Student representatives shared poems and songs at the ceremony, with the kindergartners capping it off with "You're a Grand Old Flag."

They responded with applause as Carter introduced more than a dozen service men and women and remained silent during Jefferson High School's Air Force JROTC presentation of the colors. Retired teacher Paul Traynham kicked off the proceedings with reveille and concluded with taps.

A memorial garden surrounds the school's flagpole. The participating veterans took turns placing a wreath marking their branch of service in the garden. Long lit, and later extinguished, a torch representing prisoners of war and those missing in action.

"You are our heroes," Carter said, thanking the veterans.

But Long, who works at U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, turned it back to the students.

"Northwest Elementary is a patriotic leader in the community," he said. "As a career soldier and veteran, your invitation to me was a truly awesome opportunity to cap off a great week for veterans."

He reminded the children that patriotism is hard work and should affect how they acted around their teachers, parents and classmates. The main guideline, he said, is to leave no one behind.

If someone needs help in class, help them up. Learn to embrace diversity, he said, because you can't stand united if you are prejudiced. Listen to and respect your parents and teachers.

"If you're homework's hard - good," he said. "It needs to be. Life as a patriot can be hard, too."

He also said they did not need to join the military to reflect their patriotism.

"Serving each other as you grow up is all you need to do," he said.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (727) 451-2343.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT