43
North honors veterans with Hero Wall
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .North student Branson Gagliano (right) pointed out his star on North's Hero Wall, where he honored his dad Jason Gagliano who is currently on active duty in North Carolina. Gagliano says he knows his dad protects him with the work he does.
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Making a stop at North's Hero Wall, student Jensyn Orr honored the sacrifice of her grandfather William Benton, who fought in World War II.
By SARAH FOOR
From late October until the recent celebration of Veteran’s Day, North students and faculty members honored more than 90 of their heroes by displaying their photos on the school’s “Hero Wall.” The wall displays the faces of those who served or are currently serving in the military.
The wall is a new tradition created by Principal Tracy Kaschak, whose own family has a history of military service. She hoped to teach her students about the importance of honoring veterans.
“Though some of our heroes may not be right here with us, they work every day to keep us safe and our country safe. In my own family, we honor their sacrifice. I think that it is important to the North family as well,” said Kaschak. The wall offers students the chance to tell their peers about the service that relatives and friends selflessly provided. The heroes shown are a mix of veterans from major wars and current service men and women. The center of the display reads: “In honor of those who serve our country and those who served before them.”
Student Jensyn Orr visited the wall to share stories of her grandfather, William Benton, who served in World War II. “My grandpa is really happy and he loves to give hugs. I’m proud he fought for our country,” Orr shared.
Branson Gagliano looked for the two pictures he brought of his dad, Jason Gagliano, who is on active duty in North Carolina.
“He plays with me a lot. We pretend to be teams and I am the Army and he is the Marines. I don’t know what kind of things he does every day, but I know he protects me and all of us,” Gagliano said.