Portland St. Patrick Catholic School

History came to life at St. Patrick School during our annual Veterans Day celebration on November 11.  Following a Communion Service in the church, students, staff, veterans and family members assembled in the school gymnasium for our annual Veterans Day assembly.

Planning for the program began even before the school year started.  During our Staff Development day in August, our teachers decided that our Veteran’s Day program should be a learning and educational experience for our students,  while also giving our veterans the respect that they so much deserve.

As usual, the teachers did not disappoint me.  I found the program to be an exciting, moving, and profound experience.  By having the veterans come to our school, by hearing their words and shaking their hands, our students receive a better understanding of the sacrifices they made on behalf of our great nation.  The kids were quite moved by the experience and now have a better appreciation of the true meaning of this national holiday.  

This year’s program began with the Posting of Colors by the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW Post 4090) Honor Guard.  Deacon Don Soblewski led us in prayer and our kindergarten students led us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.   Seventhth grade student Shelby Miller sang a moving rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.  

Representative Brian Calley honored us by taking time out of his busy schedule to attend our program. Rep. Calley thanked the veterans for their service to our nation and told a story about Civil War veteran Alan Shattuck.  Mr. Shattuck had only one arm, but he climbed to the top of the dome of the state capitol building in Lansing, to convince people to help him paint the dome.

The program continued with seventh grade student Elizabeth Beachnau reading her VFW Patriot Pen Essay,  followed by a rousing rendition of America the Beautiful by the St. Patrick first grade students.  Deacon Don Sobolewski led us in a closing prayer followed by the playing of TAPS by VFW Post 4090.  The VFW Honor Guard ended the ceremony with the Retrieval of Colors.  The ceremony was followed by a reception in our parish hall, decorated specifically for the veterans.  

I look especially forward to our annual Veterans Day assembly.  As a former social studies teacher, I enjoy sitting and listening to the veterans share stories of the places they had the opportunity to see and the battles that they fought.  I was extremely excited to find out that one of our students  had a grandfather and great-grandfather travel to Portland from Iron Mountain, Michigan to attend our assembly. It was a great honor to have these gentlemen, who are both veterans, as guests of St. Patrick School.  I am thankful and appreciative to have the opportunity to meet and talk with all of the veterans who attend each year.

I would especially like to thank everyone who helped make this ceremony such a wonderful and moving experience.  Thank you to the veterans and their families, to Rep. Calley, and especially to the staff who worked so hard to put it all together.  May God bless A