By Leslie Brumbach, 3rd Grade Teacher, West Elementary
Fall is always a busy time for elementary schools. Students are getting back into the routine of a new school year, staying busy with sports, and looking forward to all the holidays this time of the year brings. Students at West Elementary in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, are also excited about Veterans Day!
Students and faculty wanted to make this day something special for area veterans. To accomplish this, the school created a committee called PACE (Patriot and Commemorative Events).
Students started preparing for the big day by making cards for veterans living in nearby assisted living homes. These cards offered simple words of gratitude and appreciation for their sacrifice. Teachers used this activity in their ELA classes by discussing the vocabulary needed for the letters. Words like sacrifice, honor, and dedication.
The Wall of Honor has become a tradition at West. This year in the month before Veterans Day, students were invited to fill a wall in the school’s main hallway with posters. The posters included a photo and information about their special veteran. Students watched as the number of posters grew each day. They are proud to share their posters and discuss the branches of military and years of service. Over 150 posters line the walls.
This year West added a special assembly on November 11. Students invited veterans to attend and share in a special time of honor and recognition. After each branch was recognized, the students and faculty sang a special song as a way of thanking the veterans for their service. A group of over 800 students sang a song called "Thank You."
Principal Chris Plummer also shared the story of "The Missing Man Table," and it was displayed for visitors and students. Students may begin to understand the sacrifice of our military through the table’s special symbols.
As Veterans left the assembly, students lined the hallway, calling it the "Hall of Honor." Students clapped and gave visitors high fives while thanking them for their service.
With its location along the path of the Fallen Soldiers Ministries, West is the perfect place to share the history of this special day and watch its significance in action. The entire school lined up with their posters and flags waving as The Fallen Soldiers came into view. The clouds held their rain and allowed the school the chance to thank this group as they passed our school. When former student Cooper Wright started marching with his father, students and faculty cheered for them as they began their journey from Legislative Plaza in downtown Nashville to Lebanon, Tennessee. (West Elementary is about five miles from Lebanon.)
West Elementary believes that recognizing these important events engages students and creates a very real and tangible experience they will carry with them into the future. While they may be young, they are eager to learn about veterans, their sacrifices for our country, and how they put their lives on the line to protect us.
Through kid-friendly and age-appropriate language, West hopes to instill a sense of patriotism in our students. We want to honor those who came before as well as our active military. Who knows, maybe these activities will inspire and encourage others to serve their country.
Quote from West Elementary’s principal, Mr. Chris Plummer:
"Our West Bulldogs, coupled with our amazing faculty and staff members, are thankful that we are in attendance on Veteran’s Day as it is observed as a school day by Wilson County Schools so that we can properly honor our men and women of service."
Leslie Brumbach
3rd Grade Teacher
West Elementary
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