Herman L. Horn Elementary School held its annual Veterans Day celebration on November 9 with many invited guests.
This event has become a tradition at the school and just gets bigger and better each year. This year there was a student 2017 Veterans Day Committee to get things organized, which included Leila Pichardo, Isabel Hristov, Alexa Warfe, Dylan Townsend, Micah Wheeler, Cambria Bradshaw, Tatianna Kubik, Angie Zaragoza’pena, Ryan McIntyre, and Zane Vasser.
Three choruses performed– the Glee Bees, the SCA, and a group of teachers. The Glee Bees meet once a week after school directed by music teacher Jamie Walsh and include Abigail Atwood, Barbie Hernandez, Bianca DeMelo, Connor Wheeler, Dakota Vaughan, Dalton Beckner Pollard, Eli Werle, Ethan Werle, Hannah Janney, Isabel Hristov, Jada Johnson, Javier Tzompaxtle, Kalee Hayes, Kyla Coleman, MaKiya Price, Maggie Bond, Olivia Meadow, Whitney Werle, Will Thompson, and Wyatt Simmons.
SCA members include Kaylee Hayes, Emily Bowden, Tyler Pickeral,Javier Tzompaxtle, Sam Geist, Colter Dean, Kylie Gonzales, Scottie Leonard, Elena Mullen, Kam McKee, Emily Glass, Brogan Dent,Maggie Zimmerman, Kayla Lovern, Dakota Vaughan, Pierce Rakes, Isabella Trumble, Alex Montgomery, Blake Anderson, Carson Wood, Emma Rupe, Dalton Beckner Pollard, Jada Johnson, Cason Nicholas, and Jackson McCoy.
Walsh led the entire student body in a patriotic song in two well-coordinated parts which thanked the veterans for their service. She says that the student body was not able to practice as a whole, “We just sang it in their individual classes and just went for it!”
Veterans invited to attend the program were recognized by their branch of service as the history of the branch was presented and the official song was sung by the students.
Vinton Mayor Brad Grose, an Army veteran, and School Board Chairman Tim Greenway spoke to the students about patriotism and freedom, along with Jim Bradshaw, Director of Human Resources for Roanoke County Schools who is an Army veteran.
The walls of the school were decorated by individual classroom projects. A Wall of Honor was on display with names of those connected to HLH students. Instructional assistant Ryan Dunagan displayed his extensive military uniform collection. He had brought in uniforms for students to try on in the days before the program.
The event, headed up by teacher Michelle Lionberger, was impressive and continues to grow in scope each year. HLH students truly learn what respect for veterans means.
More photos from the HLH event can be found on The Vinton Messenger Facebook page.