thedrifter
11-10-06, 07:58 AM
Young take time to honor vets
November 10,2006
JOE MILLER
daily news staff
Want to see more? Video of Veterans Day events at Brewster Middle School and Thompson Early Childhood Center are online at www.jdnews.com.
Before her dad goes off to war in Iraq, Stephene Greene wanted to express how much she loves and respects her father on paper.
So the Brewster Middle School eighth-grader wrote a poem to honor the sacrifice he and all members of the military make to keep America free.
“My dad, I honor every day because of what he does,” she said. “But there’s just one day we can honor everybody.”
That day is Veterans Day. Brewster Middle School aboard Camp Lejeune and Thompson Early Childhood Center in Jacksonville held ceremonies Thursday to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces. Veterans Day is Saturday.
Brewster’s program featured a long list of student-led presentations. Besides reading poems dedicated to the troops, students sang the “The Star Spangled Banner” and “God Bless the USA,” explained how the national anthem, written by Francis Scott Key, came to be written and held a formal cake cutting ceremony celebrating the 231st birthday of the Marine Corps, which is today.
“Most, if not all, of our (552) students have had parents that have been deployed,” Brewster Middle principal Eric Steimel said. “This is an opportunity for them to honor their country, to honor their parents … to honor the sacrifice that their parents have made.”
The student body at Brewster Middle proved just how penny wise they can be. The school held a penny drive and raised nearly $2,700 for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Ed Salau was injured by a rocket-propelled grenade two years ago near Tikrit, Iraq, and lost his left leg as a member of the North Carolina National Guard. He was on hand to accept the donation for the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides backpacks with clothing and toiletries to wounded service members.
“I needed to be here to personally see the patriotism of these kids and then the generosity of these children,” said Salau, who is also a retired Marine.
“The aftermath of injuries like ours is measured in years not days or weeks. It’s easier with the support of the community.”
At Thompson, the pre-kindergarten students proved love for their country begins at a very early age. The students sang patriotic songs like “America” and “This Land is Your Land” and provided a luncheon with donations from area restaurants.
School officials say more than half of the parents of children at the school are in the military.
“It was very tremendous to see this age group perform,” said Principal Claire Pfeffer.
Contact staff writer Joe Miller at jmiller@freedomenc.com, at 353-1171, ext. 236 or at jmiller.encblogs.com
Ellie
November 10,2006
JOE MILLER
daily news staff
Want to see more? Video of Veterans Day events at Brewster Middle School and Thompson Early Childhood Center are online at www.jdnews.com.
Before her dad goes off to war in Iraq, Stephene Greene wanted to express how much she loves and respects her father on paper.
So the Brewster Middle School eighth-grader wrote a poem to honor the sacrifice he and all members of the military make to keep America free.
“My dad, I honor every day because of what he does,” she said. “But there’s just one day we can honor everybody.”
That day is Veterans Day. Brewster Middle School aboard Camp Lejeune and Thompson Early Childhood Center in Jacksonville held ceremonies Thursday to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces. Veterans Day is Saturday.
Brewster’s program featured a long list of student-led presentations. Besides reading poems dedicated to the troops, students sang the “The Star Spangled Banner” and “God Bless the USA,” explained how the national anthem, written by Francis Scott Key, came to be written and held a formal cake cutting ceremony celebrating the 231st birthday of the Marine Corps, which is today.
“Most, if not all, of our (552) students have had parents that have been deployed,” Brewster Middle principal Eric Steimel said. “This is an opportunity for them to honor their country, to honor their parents … to honor the sacrifice that their parents have made.”
The student body at Brewster Middle proved just how penny wise they can be. The school held a penny drive and raised nearly $2,700 for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Ed Salau was injured by a rocket-propelled grenade two years ago near Tikrit, Iraq, and lost his left leg as a member of the North Carolina National Guard. He was on hand to accept the donation for the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides backpacks with clothing and toiletries to wounded service members.
“I needed to be here to personally see the patriotism of these kids and then the generosity of these children,” said Salau, who is also a retired Marine.
“The aftermath of injuries like ours is measured in years not days or weeks. It’s easier with the support of the community.”
At Thompson, the pre-kindergarten students proved love for their country begins at a very early age. The students sang patriotic songs like “America” and “This Land is Your Land” and provided a luncheon with donations from area restaurants.
School officials say more than half of the parents of children at the school are in the military.
“It was very tremendous to see this age group perform,” said Principal Claire Pfeffer.
Contact staff writer Joe Miller at jmiller@freedomenc.com, at 353-1171, ext. 236 or at jmiller.encblogs.com
Ellie