Students celebrate Veteran's Day

Jordan Guffey remembers when her aunt was serving in the United States Navy, which makes this Veteran’s Day and many others even more special to the Matthews Elementary fifth grader.

“These are the people who are fighting to give us the freedom that we have,” she said. “I think it is very important to honor, recognize and thank them for all they have done.”

Students and staff at the Grain Valley elementary school joined with others throughout the nation Wednesday to celebrate Veteran’s Day. Matthews, like so many other schools, hosted an assembly that served to not only educate students, but to remind them of the importance of the “American veteran” said Kathy Argotsinger, art teacher at Matthews Elementary.

“We believe that we should never forget or take lightly the sacrifices that the men and women of America have made for our freedoms,” she said of the annual event. “We want our students to recognize that we owe a debt of gratitude to all who have served our country in the military. Many children will discover that they too know veterans and we hope to start a dialogue with the students and their families to share that information.”

Veterans Day, sometimes referred to as Armistice Day, was first created in remembrance of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I, which was on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. According to the History Channel’s Web site, www.history.com, Armistice Day became Veterans Day in 1954 when then President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation to create a day honoring all American veterans.

The assembly at Matthews Elementary included a performance from the school’s Syncopation Choir, which sang “In Service of Our Country,”  “Thank You Veterans” and “American Everyday.” “Acting Up,” Matthews Elementary’s theater group, then performed two reader theater pieces – “Today We Celebrate Veterans Day” and “Who are Veterans.” In addition, those students who are either Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts escorted the flag into the gymnasium to conclude the program.

“Our goal is to make our students aware of the important role the veteran has played in our history,” Argotsinger said.

“Our school celebrates the American military veteran on Nov. 11, each year. We want all of our students to realize that our America would not be the same without their service. We wish to publicly thank them and let them know that they are our heroes.”

Fifth grader Indiana Jones said she is proud of all veterans who serve their country and believes the most important thing children can do is to thank them for what they have done and continue to do every day.

“A lot have died in war and died for our country,” she said. “I think it is important for us to learn about our veterans and to thank them for everything they do for us each and every day.”

Teacher Carolyn Dunbar said she thinks that by celebrating Veterans Day, children gain a better understanding about the sacrifices veterans made to make this country what it is today.

“Our veterans are so important to our history as a country and until they understand the sacrifices some of these people made, I don’t think they truly get the importance of what they do,” she said.

“We want to give veterans our heartfelt thanks. Yes, we want to remember those that died, but we also want to remember those that fought and lived to share their experiences. That is what makes this day so special.”