by Bea Peterson
There is nothing that surpasses the enthusiasm of the elementary students at Hoosick Falls Central School when it comes to honoring veterans. On Friday, November 8, they entered the high school auditorium dressed in red, white and blue. Members from each class carried a flag to the front of the stage. The Pledge of Allegiance, recited by the children, reverberated through the cavernous space. It was awesome! [private]Teachers Michelle Culver and Leslie Green sang the “Star Spangled Banner.” Mrs. Burdick’s third grade students each read a sentence about the history of Veterans Day. Veterans who spoke to the assembly this year were elementary teacher Bill Brown and Tony Hayes. Phil Leonard spoke about the history of veterans in the Town of Hoosick and about the Veterans Memorial Wall in Wood Park. Elementary music teacher Ray Connolly led the students in a variety of patriotic songs.
Back in Mrs. Burdick’s classroom she recalled with her students and guests the year that honoring veterans started at HFCS. She believed it was in 1990. Her students didn’t know what a veteran was, she said. Two of her students were grandsons of veterans, and she invited those grandfathers to visit her classroom. The students were intrigued, and a tradition was begun. Burdick said that at first it was just her class that listened to the veterans tell their stories, then it expanded to the elementary cafeteria with all the third grade classes participating and then it spread to the wonderful program it is today with the entire elementary school participating.
Mrs. Burdick said her class always sends thank you letters to veterans in the Albany Veterans Hospital and the Bennington Veterans Home around Veterans Day. [/private]