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Boardman High school observes Veteran’s Day
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Boardman High School senior Eric Yovanovich (left), junior Zach Stover and senior Melanie D'Eramo were three of the five soloists playing the miliary song, "Taps" during the school's Veteran's Day observance.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Boardman High School students Eric Yovanovich (left) and Zach Stover played "Taps" in the school hallway as a tribute to fallen military personnel. Five students were spread throught the school playing simultaneously so that the song was echoed through the hallways.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Boardman resident John Holzschuh was the guest speaker for Boardman High School's annual Veteran's Day observance. He retired from the Ohio National Guard in 2008 after 20 years of service.
The entire school paused as the sound of “Taps” echoed through the Boardman High School corridors Nov. 11 during its annual Veteran’s Day observance.
Each year, the school honors veterans by inviting a guest speaker to address the high school students over the school intercom system. Vice principal Glenn Garwig gave a brief history of the holiday and introduced Boardman resident John Holzschuh.
After serving 20 years in the Ohio National Guard, Holzschuh retired from service in June 2008. During his time of service, he came across several soldiers who sacrificed many things for their country — even their lives.
Holzschuh told the story of a man name Samuel who was one of his subordinates. Samuel had retired from the military after his four-year obligation and re-enlisted because of the attack on the twin towers in 2001.
“All he wanted to do was defend his country,” Holzschuh said.
Samuel, while deployed to Iraq, died after a rocket-propelled grenade hit his humvee while he was changing a flat tire during a convoy in 2004. He was scheduled to return home, but insisted on taking part in convoys until his duty time was up.
“I wanted to show students the sacrifice that veterans make,” Holzschuh said. “Samuel made the ultimate sacrifice.”