Summary: With a thunderous standing ovation for local veterans and a flurry of patriotic music, the students of Edgewood Middle School commemorated Veterans Day.
You could have heard a pin drop in the packed gym at Edgewood Middle School.
That is until the doors to the gym were flung open and the first of over 100 local veterans stepped into the gym floor.
For the next five minutes the sound was deafening as the 600 students of Edgewood leapt to their feet to give the veterans a standing ovation during a school-wide assembly on Nov. 11.
In its third year, the annual Edgewood Middle School Veterans Day celebration kicked off with a luncheon for area veterans served by members of the Junior National Honor Society.
During the luncheon generations of veterans sat across the table from one another comparing their military experiences and students listened intently to the stories of wars past and present as the Edgewood orchestra and choir provided musical entertainment for the invited guests.
The students also paused to pay tribute to the contributions made by veterans in protecting our freedoms by presenting each attendee with a book of poetry dedicated to veterans and composed by Edgewood students.
During the luncheon program Student Body President Estefi Hernandez announced that Edgewood students have joined together to show support for our troops and to honor veterans by selling Generals Support Our Troops t-shirts.
According to Hernandez, the proceeds from the sale of the t-shirts – which currently stands at over $1000 – will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
After the luncheon students and honored guests gathered in the gym to hear patriotic music performed by the Edgewood band and to listen to an address by Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant John Jestel, who reflected on the meaning of Veterans Day and what it means to be a veteran.
Unlike Memorial Day, which honors those men and women who have fallen in defense of our country and its values of freedom and democracy, Veterans Day honors those men and women who have served honorably and returned to the community and started families but carried a new title that they will always be proud of – that of a veteran, said Jestel.
We have secured our weapons in the armory for a new generation to use. However we are not defenseless, said Jestel, who currently serves as Commander of American Legion Post 147 in Apple Creek.
Armed with core values of honor, courage and commitment, a veteran stands strong. We lived those values, we existed under those principles and still do to this day, Jestel added.
Military core values, leadership principles and traits are more than just words on a piece of paper. We as veterans live those values. That is what defines our metal, said Jestel adding we all equally shared the ability to show determination, resolve and courage in our everyday lives. That is what makes us strong.
Our inheritance from our respective branches of service is united for a common purpose – to celebrate the initiative of many patriots so that you and I may continue to enjoy the freedoms we rightly deserve, said Jestel.
Edgewood Middle School Principal Rod Hopton paused to express the appreciation of the students and staff of Edgewood to the veterans assembled for the celebration.
Today is the day when all Americans honor those who risk and for many sacrifice their lives in defense of our nation in all the past and present military operations. The students and staff at Edgewood appreciate all that our service men and women do for this great country, said Hopton.
