Veterans honored by Ephraim Elementary
Daniela Vazquez
Staff writer
11-17-2016
EPHRAIM — Ephraim Elementary PTA sponsored a Veterans Day program on Nov. 11 to celebrate local veterans and to help kids understand the meaning behind the patriotic holiday.
Former PTA president Liz Crouch and committee member Jeannie Mack focused on teaching the young students about why America celebrates the nation’s veterans on this day.
“We’ve always found a way to honor our veterans,” Crouch said. “But more recently we wanted to teach the kids about recognizing vets. We wanted them to be aware that there are people who served and sacrificed so we have the freedoms that we do today.”
Crouch and Mack sent out personalized invitations to local vets to attend a program in their honor.
The PTA also gave children paper stars decorated in patriotic colors to take home and fill out with the name and rank of a veteran they know. Students were asked to bring the stars back before Veterans Day to be displayed along the school’s brick walls.
On the day of the program, over 35 veterans entered the building and walked through the “hall of stars” display, which was meant to thank them for their time in service.
Of the group of vets in attendance, seven were World War II Veterans. They were presented with an American flag and rose as a show of appreciation.
Crouch said students also wrote thank you notes and offered them to the veterans in attendance. The younger students who are still learning to read and write colored signs and pictures.
More thank you cards written by students will be sent to other vets throughout the state, Crouch said.
Before the program, veterans and their families were invited to attend a small gathering, complete with pie and ice cream served by Miss Independence Jasmine Alcala and one of her attendants.
“The event was incredible,” said Heather Harward, Ephraim Elementary School secretary. “It was to remember (men and women) who are currently serving (or have) passed on, and just to help share all of the memories.”
