Many special tributes were held throughout the Garden City Public Schools in honor of Veterans Day, which was nationally observed on Nov. 11. Visits from Veterans, read-alouds, art projects, letter-writing initiatives and class discussions are among the many activities that expressed appreciation and gratitude for those who have served.
Hemlock welcomed several veterans who served as guest speakers and discussed their experiences on Nov. 10. Some of their young family members, who are students at Hemlock, enjoyed joining the presenters in the front of the classrooms as they shared their stories and explained the day’s significance. Homestead School hosted a celebration on Nov. 9, during which classes gathered in the courtyard and recited poems. As a highlight, U.S. Marine Corps. Sergeants Raul Pillco and Victoria Maston demonstrated proper flag folding techniques using the school’s original American Flag from 1959 and placed it in a special case. This event was followed by a classroom presentation led by U.S. Army Specialist 4 Veteran Ron Stankiewicz, whose grandson is a student at Homestead. Locust School created a video tribute featuring each class waving flags and wearing decorative patriotic hats. They shared messages of thanks to the country’s heroic servicemen and servicewomen.
Stewart School students collected candy for troops and wrote letters for Veterans. Stratford School’s fourth graders enjoyed a read-aloud, third graders wrote letters and second graders created paper dog tags that symbolize honor, courage and strength. Garden City Middle School students wrote postcards to Veterans thanking them for their service, and eighth graders shared stories and memories about their relatives that are Veterans. Garden City High School students engaged in class discussions around Veterans Day and paid homage to those who have served and first responders with the building’s traditional Field of Flags, which was presented during a ceremony on Nov. 15.
—Submitted by Garden City Public Schools
