Call it a coincidence. Twenty-eight veterans with a total of 250 years of service showed up at the Mettawee Community School (MCS) on the eve of the nation’s 250th birthday. The cause for celebration was the annual Veterans Day breakfast. It’s a school tradition that never feels old.
“This is the most important day of the year at our school,” said Mettawee Paraeducator Kelli Lewis. “We are here because of them.”
The introduction of the honored guests always serves as the highlight of the gathering. MCS Principal Brooke DeBonis moves through the audience with a hand held microphone stopping at each of the veterans, asking them to stand and give their name, branch of service, and the years served.
This year’s breakfast included past members of the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. There were parents, grandparents, family members and neighbors. Two veterans served as far back as Korea, while another was in the ranks for over three decades. Some rose from their seats smartly. Others took more time. All stood and spoke with pride.
“Each year I’m moved by how our students respond to the veterans,” said DeBonis. “Their respect and gratitude shows they understand the importance of the sacrifices these men and women have made for all of us.”
The Mettawee sixth graders, under the direction of their teacher Heather McGann, play a vital role in the Veteran’s Day observance. They design the program, make posters that adorn the walls, and decorate the tables with red, white, and blue bunting. They also lead the student body and guests in a songfest of patriotic numbers, including the official anthems of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
DeBonis closed the program with remarks that included a quote from President John F. Kennedy, “A nation reveals itself not only by the people it produces, but also by the people it honors, the people it remembers.”
(Photo above: The guests of honor command center stage following the Mettawee Veterans Day Breakfast.)
At the Mettawee Veterans Day Breakfast each honored guest is asked to stand and give their name, branch of service and the years served.
This father and daughter take pride in celebrating Veteran's Day at the Mettawee Veterans Day Breakfast.
Veterans - parents, grandparents, family members, and neighbors - sat down over breakfast with Mettawee students to celebrate their service to the country.