Local
Veteran’s Day celebrated at Holy Family School

By Christine Tolfree
Posted: 11/19/2004

The fourth-annual Veteran’s Day celebration of Holy Family School in Rockland began with silent reverence during the posting of colors by the eighth-grade honor guard on Nov. 10. Almost 450 students from Holy Family School attended the event.

“You could hear a pin drop,” said the school’s principal, Ann Marie Manning. “It was really a powerful ceremony.”

The posting of colors was followed by “America the Beautiful,” the pledge of allegiance, the “Star Spangled Banner” and opening prayer.

“I’m in awe of our kids,” she added. “Their reverence was wonderful.”

Students participated in the day in many different ways. Three students from the class of 2005 gave a history of Veteran’s Day, and three students were chosen out of the entire school to read their essays about “What Service Means to Me.”

Then, two Vietnam veterans — one from the army and one from the marines — spoke about the meaning of service and the unsung heroes, such as parents of service people, who support and worry about soldiers in service.

The ceremony ended with closing prayer, another moment of silence and “God Bless America.”