When one thinks of patriotism and veteran’s day, many images can come to mind: an American flag billowing in the chill wind, symbolizing the American states; men fighting in war, attempting to stop the spread of communism; weathered veterans being honored with multiple veterans day ceremonies. One of these ceremonies took place in the performing arts theater on Monday, November 12, taking the place of the November 11 date that was missed due to a weekend.

“Our class was a block class, so going to the ceremony didn’t interfere with our second hour,” sophomore Tyler Jacobson said. “Mrs. Shively thought that going to the ceremony was more important then drawing today. My favorite part about the assembly was Parker Summers’s speech.”

Student Council acted as the hosts for the veterans attending the ceremony.

“Student Council helped welcome the veterans and lead them to the performing arts theater when they arrived,” senior Ali Hagen said. “We wanted to make the veterans feel welcomed and appreciated. The students that spoke were also members of StuCo at their respective school.”

Student body participation was not limited to only specific classes. Symphonic orchestra and concert choir were also featured, orchestra playing music at the ceremony and concert choir singing the national anthem in a flag raising ceremony played at 9 AM.

“We played ‘God Bless America’ and a ‘Salute to Freedom,’” junior Shellby Bartlett said. “We played those songs because they have a lot of meaning. They’re songs that everybody knows and associates with patriotism, which we wanted to remind people of because it was a veteran’s day ceremony.”

However, veterans were not the only group celebrated at the ceremony: public school educators were also represented, both attending the event and being congratulated by many speakers.

“In addition to those have served in the military, there is another group being celebrated for their contribution to this country, and rightly so,” senior Parker Summers said. “American educators are responsible for perhaps the greatest challenge this world will ever see: taking slimy, snot nosed, thumb sucking stinking cute five year olds and in thirteen years transforming them into young adults that will lead and shape America’s future.”