Soldiers who served in the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf wars showed up at David J. Sanchez Elementary School on Nov. 8 for an early celebration of Veterans Day.
They were met with homemade American flags and poetry, letters, stories, and songs recited by representatives from kindergarten through sixth-grade. About 500 students attended the assembly ceremony. The school then served breakfast to their guests in the staff lounge.
Fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade intervention teacher Anita Guizar-Diaz helped organize the event this year and said it’s a great way to make the students “aware of just how important Veterans Day really is.”
Guizar-Diaz has a son currently serving in the military and a husband who is a veteran. Watching the event unfold every year means a lot to her.
“It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside,” she said. “I’m a mom and, you know, I couldn’t sleep last night because I was worried about [my son].”
She said the school also asked veterans who felt comfortable to speak and answer questions in classrooms after the celebration and breakfast.
“We want our students to become aware of the valiant sacrifices made by our veterans, those currently serving, and their families,” Guizar-Diaz wrote in an invitation e-mail sent out to veterans before the Nov. 8 celebration.
This article appears in Nov 14-21, 2013.