Friday, December 18, 2015
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Colonel Charles Coleman, of the American Legion Post 177 in Canfield, spoke at the C.H. Campbell Elementary School Veteran’s Day Assembly on Nov. 11.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Captain Milton Kochert, of the American Legion Post 177 in Canfield, made closing remarks at the C.H. Campbell Elementary School Veteran’s Day Assembly on Nov. 11.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Veterans attending C.H. Campbell Elementary School’s Veteran’s Day Assembly saluted the flag during the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” on Nov. 11.
By ABBY SLANKER
Students and faculty at C.H. Campbell Elementary School honored local veterans at the school’s Veteran’s Day Assembly Nov. 11. The assembly featured Colonel Charles Coleman and Captain Milt Kochert, both from American Legion Post 177 in Canfield.
C.H. Campbell Principal Travis Lavery welcomed everyone to the assembly.
“We are here for a special reason. We are here to honor all the people who have served our country and risked so much for everyone in our country. It is also a day near to my heart, as my father is a veteran and my brother-in-law and a close friend are on active duty. They have all made sacrifices to protect us and so many people across the world,” Lavery said.
Lavery introduced the second-grade class, which, under the direction of Michael Fay, C.H. Campbell music specialist, performed “The Star Spangled Banner.” The students also acted as narrators, giving the audience facts about and the history of Veteran’s Day.
A skit was then performed by a group of fourth-grade students, about conducting research on and learning about Veteran’s Day for a school project.
The second-graders took the stage again and led the audience in singing “God Bless America” and then performed “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”
Fourth-grade teacher Dana Zarlenga-Buist introduced speaker Colonel Charles Coleman, who focused on the motto of the U.S. Military Academy - Duty, Honor, Country - and how it relates to veterans.
“Duty describes obligation. Obligation equals the need to do the right thing at the right time. The obligation of a veteran is unique. They prepared and fought our nation’s wars when called upon by the President of the United States. Honor is doing the right thing and acting honestly. For veterans this is especially important in times of war. Country refers to allegiance to something you love. You have an allegiance to your family, friends and school. Veterans take the Oath of Service to protect and defend the United States. They pledge to protect our country from enemies. To veterans, this is more important than their allegiance to their family, friends and school,” Coleman said.
After Coleman’s speech, attendees were shown a video on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which was made by a fifth-grade student.
Zarlenga-Buist then recognized the veterans in attendance, including Canfield High School Athletic Director Greg Cooper, who retired from the Navy after a 30-year career. Each veteran was given a flag which was flown over the grave of a veteran in one of Canfield’s cemeteries.
Zarlenga-Buist then recognized family members of C.H. Campbell staff who are on active duty or are veterans. They were also presented with a flag.
“Everyday, think of and thank people who protect our precious freedom. If you see a member of the military, lean over and say thank you. It means more to them than medals. That’s all they really want,” Zarlenga-Buist said.
The second-graders took the stage again and performed “Salute to Armed Forces,” during which veterans were asked to stand during their branch’s song.
To close the assembly, Captain Milton Kochert explained to the audience what it means to be a veteran.
“A veteran is a man or a woman who fell in love with their country. A veteran is willing to lay down his or her life for the Statue of Liberty. A veteran does what they must in spite of personal consequences. A veteran gets a lump in his or her throat when they see their beloved flag. A veteran is well-deserving of our appreciation, love and prayers. Always. Thank you for recognizing the importance of veterans on Veteran’s Day,” Kochert said.
In their final performance, second-grade teacher Patricia Mosure joined the second-grade students in singing “Proud To Be An American.”