Students and staff at Waverly Park Elementary School dressed in patriotic fashion on Nov. 9 to celebrate Veterans Day with “Bring a Veteran to School Day.” The school’s student council, with the help of student council moderators Shari Bowes and Courtney Jacobs, facilitated the event which featured 16 local veterans who were honored for their service to our country. 

Veterans included family members of Waverly Park students and local members of the Armed Forces from the Lynbrook Branch Office. The veterans were welcomed to a special breakfast in the school’s library before the festivities began, where Superintendent of Schools Dr. Melissa Burak, staff and board members greeted them. 

Following the breakfast, the veterans entered the gymnasium where a school-wide ceremony took place. Before turning the microphone over to the students, Principal Lucille McAssey reinforced the importance of the day. 

“We are here today to honor our very special heroes,” she said. “These are the men and women of the Armed Forces who fought to make our country free so we are here today to honor them.” 

Student council officers greeted their honored guests, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited and the veterans each introduced themselves, as they sat in the front of the room. Each grade level was responsible for singing one of the branch songs and the veterans received gold flowers from the students.

Student council members shared facts about all the branches of the military and student poems from first and second-graders were recited. In addition, the students presented their “Wall of Peace,” which was located on the wall of the gymnasium and featured ways that people can show their support for our veterans today. Every student in grades 3-5 created a brick to share their thoughts about Veterans Day and why we commemorate veterans on this national holiday. 

To cap off the celebration, the students joined together to sing “God Bless the U.S.A.” Students held American Flags as they sang in unison to the veterans. To learn more about their special guests, the veterans traveled to various classrooms throughout the school to speak to students about their own experiences in the military.