By Gabi Ledbetter

On November 11th, 1947, the first Veterans Day was celebrated. Veterans Day, or Armistice Day,originally received its name in 1926. After 12 years it became a national holiday. Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized an event on November 11th, to honor all veterans. U.S representative Edward Rees later proposed a bill, changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day.The parade and celebrations started by Weeks became an annual event and has now been celebrated worldwide. Veterans Day is a day to honor all veterans, alive or deceased, to thank them for their service and for fighting for our country.

The 11th grade Honors American History classes hosted the annual Veterans Day ceremony on November 15, 2022. Students talked about the history of the military branches, the meaning of Veterans Day, and recognized veterans. Aniston Austin sang “God Bless America,” and Claire Sheppard sang “America the Beautiful.” The band also played Patriotic hymns.

During the ceremony Luke Galey spoke on the importance of Veterans Day. Luke said, “To me it is to honor the brave men and women who made the decision to put their lives on the line so that we can all be here today." Dr.John Galey, a veteran of the Air Force and National Guard, welcomed the veterans in the audience. During his speech he explained the reason he joined the military and things the military taught him that he wanted to pass on to the students. One of the things he was taught was to never quit. He said, “Anybody can quit. Anybody can do that. That's easy, but not all people make it to the end.” He passed this along to the students for encouragement meaning no matter what, no matter how tough it gets, keep going. After his speech, there was a moment of silence and the band played Taps. A slideshow created by Mrs. Foret was presented showing pictures of veteran family members of her 8th and 9th grade students. At the the conclusion of the ceremony, Coach J.T. said, “Let's remember to be proud to be an American."

Q&A:

What does Veterans Day mean to you?

"Honoring individuals who sacrificed their younger lives to protect and serve the country they love." -Coach Kendrick

Do you know a veteran?

"My cousin Chris was in the military, and my great grandpa was a 1st Lieutenant before he was discharged." -Anthony Johnson