The icy roads could not keep the experienced troops from completing their mission. Right on time, the guests of honor assembled at their staging point and waited for the signal to advance forward into the gymnasium. The Veterans Day Celebration at the Mettawee Community School (MCS) was about to begin.
Each year, in November students invite service veterans to join them for a breakfast ceremony at the school. In addition to family members - parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles — the kids also extend invitations to neighbors and family friends. “We even check with former guests who no longer have youngsters at our school,” said MCS Principal Brooke DeBonis. “We want them to know they are always welcome.”
For Mettawee's sixth graders, Veterans Day provides an opportunity to accept responsibility for planning and hosting an event for an audience of some 200 people. They organized the guest list, created the menu, designed and mailed the invitations. Ahead of the ceremony, they spiffed up the gymnasium, decorated the tables, and got the food ready for serving.
“Our sixth graders are a perky group of kids and their exuberance was on full display with this ceremony,” said a Mettawee teacher. “They took ownership of the program and worked hard to make it a great experience for all.”
As the honored guests walked into the gym, they were welcomed by a team of six graders armed with clipboards and an attendees’ list, as well as an overstock of politeness:
“Good morning, thank you for coming.”
“May I escort you to your seat?”
Inside the gym the veterans were seated at tables with students organized by grades. One proud child introduced her father to her little friends, “This is my dad,” she said proudly, “I think he was in the army.”
The ceremony opened with sixth graders on stage leading everyone in singing the Star Spangled Banner, followed by a reading of President Biden’s 2023 Veterans Day Proclamation. Before settling down to feast, however, there was still one important detail to address.
DeBonis introduced each veteran to the audience. She moved quietly through the crowd with a hand-held microphone. When she approached each veteran, he or she stood up and recited their name, military branch, and the number of years they served their country. Some 40 veterans were present, representing all five services: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. The veterans spanned generations from the Korean War to present day active duty.
A healthy breakfast followed before a program filled with music selected as a salute to the special guests. The six graders returned to the stage to lead the audience in a series of patriotic songs, one for each branch of the military: Army (The Caisson Song), Navy (Anchors Away), Marines (The Marine Hymn), Air Force,(The U.S. Air Force) and Coast Guard (Semper Paratus).
“I am so proud of our Veterans Day tradition at Mettawee,” said DeBonis. “For our kids, it underscores the importance of service to the greater community and celebrates the spirit of patriotism. And our Vets are recognized for a job well done. Their sacrifice is not forgotten.”
The veterans seemed genuinely moved: “The kids were great and I felt welcomed,” said one honored guest. “This is my first Veterans Day at Mettawee,” added another. “And I have a number of grandchildren so I’ll be coming back again and again in the future.”
The feelings were reciprocated. “I loved this opportunity to thank the veterans for their service,” said one sixth grader. “It’s wonderful to see people enjoying each other's company.”
DeBonis closed the program with a reading of the poem, “Take a Moment to Thank a Veteran.” The composition ends with the following stanza:
Take a moment to thank them
For protecting what you hold dear;
Tell them you are proud of them;
Make it very clear.
The students then turned and shook the hands of the veterans and offered them a heartfelt: “Thank you for your service.”
Photos from the Mettawee Veterans Day Celebration follow:
