Veterans Day is a time to remember the service of military veterans. The schools in the Ridgefield School District all held Veterans Day assemblies to honor our veterans and those still serving.
\r\nAt Union Ridge Elementary, the presentation of the colors was led by the Ridgefield American Legion. Each grade completed an activity to celebrate Veterans Day. The kindergarten and first grade classes performed songs. The second grade class gave visiting veterans handmade thank you cards shaped like military dog tags. The third grade class made a video sharing the poems they sent to troops, along with candy the students donated from their own trick or treating. The fourth grade class sent handmade cards and letters to veterans.\r\n
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The Ridgefield American Legion presented the colors at the Union Ridge Elementary Veterans Day Assembly.
Student artwork showed poppies to remember veterans.
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At South Ridge Elementary, leadership students, Natalie Green, Tyson Miller and Marshall Casper gave presentations that provided a brief history and significance of Veterans Day. Although a prepared slideshow could not be shown at the assembly as planned, students and staff were able to view it in their classrooms.\r\n
The Lewis and Clark Young Marines presented the colors at Sunset Ridge Intermediate School. A trio of students sang the national anthem. The poem In Flanders Fields was read, and students gave information about each branch of the armed forces. Two students read an original poem for Veterans Day. A video was played to honor veterans and to show photos of students’ family members who were veterans. Veterans in attendance were asked to introduce themselves and to offer advice to the students. They were given handmade thank you cards and asked to sign a tribute wall.
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The Lewis and Clark Young Marines presented the colors at the Sunset Ridge assembly.
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Sunset Ridge: Veterans sign the tribute wall banner.
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View Ridge Middle School had presentation of the colors by the Lewis and Clark Young Marines. The band played the national anthem, and the seventh grade choir sang “In Flanders Field”. The Missing Man Table ceremony, a symbolic single place setting at a table, was performed in memory of fallen, missing, or imprisoned military service members. A tribute video showed students sharing their thoughts on Veterans Day and photos of students’ family members who had served.
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View Ridge seventh grade choir sang "In Flanders Field"
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Members of the View Ridge band played the national anthem.
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Ridgefield High School featured presentation of the colors by the Army. The choir performed the national anthem and “America the Beautiful”, and the band played a medley of armed forces songs. The keynote speaker, Sgt. DeAngelo McDonald, gave a warm tribute to his “brothers and sisters who are no longer with me, the brothers and sisters who are still with me, and the future brothers and sisters who will be with me” in service. A video was played remembering our soldiers.
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The Army presented the colors at the Ridgefield High School Veterans Day assembly.
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Sgt. DeAngelo McDonald was the high school's keynote speaker.
\r\nThese moving ceremonies reminded us to thank the veterans we know and to honor those who have passed. Many thanks to the students and teachers who helped mark this special day.