Veterans' Day celebrations planned
The celebration of Veterans' Day on Thursday, November 11, includes activities announced by several area organizations.
VFW Post 8800 holds its annual Veterans' Day Service at 11:00 a.m. in
Startzville. Comal Independent School District hosts Veterans' Day programs
at area schools, inviting parents and the public. The National Museum of
the Pacific War in nearby Fredericksburg presents Oliver North as the primary
speaker at its annual Veterans' Day ceremony.
- The annual Veterans' Day Service at VFW Post 8800, Startzville, will be held Thursday, November 11 at 11:00 a.m.
- The VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary will host and conduct this service.
It is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend and give thanks
for the Veterans who have and are giving their service to ensure our freedom.
- The Smithson Valley High School Choir, under the direction of Mr. Perry Dean, will perform again this year. Following the service, a lunch will be served to all those attending.
- The ceremony, which honors all veterans who have served our country,
will be November 11 at 11 a.m. in the Plaza of Presidents. It is open to
the public without charge. Since the ceremony will be outdoors, participants
are encouraged to dress for the weather.
- Col. North will be joined on the program by Major General Edward R. "Buster" Ellis, USAF, commander, 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. Gen. Ellis is responsible for the day-to-day training of approximately 2,000 U.S and allied students.
- Col. North, who served as the U.S. government's counter-terrorism coordinator, is the author of three best-selling books. Immediately after the commemoration, he will autograph copies of his latest book, War Stories: Heroism in the Pacific, which will be released November 15.
- At 2 p.m. that day, the museum also will host a book signing session with veterans of the Sino American Cooperative Organization (SACO), a guerilla organization that worked behind the Japanese lines in China during World War II, rescuing downed pilots and providing information to the allies.
- Commemorating Veterans Day is a long-standing tradition at the National Museum of the Pacific War, the only museum in the continental United States dedicated to telling the story of World War II in the Pacific Theater. The commemoration ceremony includes music by the Ambleside School Chorale from Fredericksburg, a joint color guard, and a 21-gun salute to veterans from all wars.
Closer to home, the CISD ceremonies will be held as follows:
All ceremonies are Thursday, November 11, 2004. Veterans and parents are invited
- Bill Brown Elementary 8:30-9:45 a.m.
- Program will be outside behind the school: SVHS band will perform, SVHS ROTC will present and retire the flags, BBES students will sing, a BBES student will read his/her winning essay on "What Veterans Day Means To Me" and there will be a small reception for all visitors.
- Comal Elementary 7:30 a.m.
- We are inviting our veteran families to have breakfast with us and join us at the flag pole for a short recognition and ceremony. We also have family photos displayed in the hallways.
- Frazier Elementary
- There will be a short Veterans Day program on the announcements and teachers have been asked to do something with their classes. Students will be writing soldiers in Iraq later this year as part of our HEB buddy program.
- Goodwin Primary 8:00 a.m.
- A reception will be held in the library for the veterans. The veterans will be escorted to the gym for posting of colors, pledge, and the principal will speak. Songs will be sung by the GPS students with direction from music teacher, Mrs. Davis.
- Hoffmann Lane Elementary 8:00 a.m.
- We will have a breakfast reception at 8:00 am, followed by our program at 8:30 that will be a tribute to the veterans and all they've given to our country. It will include a musical presentation by our choir and readings from our students.
- Mountain Valley School 9:00 a.m.
- The program will be in the cafetorium. The 5th grade classes will present a musical tribute to our veterans titled "This is America". The program will also include a pictorial edition of "God Bless America" and recognition of the students' family members who are veterans.
- Rahe Bulverde Elementary 8:30 a.m.
- There will be a flag ceremony, music by the students, introduction of veterans, slide show, and a warm welcome to all the guests in the Bulverde Elementary gym.
- Rebecca Creek Elementary 1:45 p.m.
- There will be an assembly in the cafeteria which will include a performance by the SVHS ROTC with their armed and unarmed tandem, SVHS color guard will present the flags, the RCES choir will perform "Proud of Our Veterans" and "The Star Spangled Banner", two seniors from SVHS will speak about why they wish to go into the military, and there will be a slide show with pictures from all different branches of the military accompanied by "The Armed Forces Medley." Also, there will be a Wall of Honor in which veterans related to RCES students will be recognized and the art students will decorate the cafeteria with red, white, and blue poppies.
- M.H. Specht Elementary 7:45 a.m.
- Assembly: 3rd graders will have a choral reading of a patriotic poem and patriotic songs will be played. The students are writing thank you cards to veterans at the VA Hospital for their service. The 3rd and 4th grade students - Wax Museum display to remind students of ways to serve our country -such as being in government. (on November 8)
- Arlon Seay Intermediate 1:45 pm
- We will have veterans visiting our social studies classrooms during the day. An assembly with guest speaker, Lt. Col. James Carlin, at 1:45 pm.
- Canyon Intermediate 7:45 a.m.
- There will be a reception honoring the veterans in the library and the assembly will follow at 8:30 in the gym.
- Canyon Middle 1:30 p.m.
- We will be inviting the local VFWs and American Legions. The CHS ROTC will be presenting colors, the CMS band will play, the CMS choir will sing and all guest and campus veterans will be recognized. We will have a reception in the CMS library with apple, cherry and peach pies for all of our veterans. We will be giving corsages to the campus veterans. We will have students wear patriotic colors as well as do the greeting and speaking at the actual assembly.
- Smithson Valley Middle 9:40 a.m.
- An assembly will consist of performances by the SVMS band, led by Paul Dixon, and the SVMS choir, led by Kristen Bowersox. "The Star-Spangled Banner" will be sung by SVMS 8th grader Jessica Thomas. Various Student Council members will give short speeches and the FCA sponsor, Donovan Dove, will close with a presentation honoring our veterans.
- Spring Branch Middle 2:42 p.m.
- We will be celebrating the service of all veterans during the entire
week of November 8 - 12. Some of the highlights include a T-shirt decorating
contest in which the students will decorate a T-shirt to display their
respect, high regard, and thanks to all of America's veterans. The SFS
class (like advisory or homeroom) with the most decorated shirts on the
given day will earn a reward. We also are collecting money to purchase
pre-paid phone cards to be sent to those currently serving away from home
so that they may call their loved ones during the upcoming holiday season.
We will have a special time during announcements every day to feature a
veteran who is a friend or loved one of a faculty or staff member here
at our school. There will be at least one featured veteran per day. We
will have our showcases filled with memorabilia belonging to veterans who
are friends or loved ones of faculty and staff members.
- An assembly on Veterans Day will be held as we hear speeches from three of our very own faculty members who have served their country. Speakers will be Jerry Trice, Ted Constanzo, and Gail Gamboa. We will also have a beloved substitute teacher, Mr. Chester Hale, march in with the flags dressed in his Sons of the Republic uniform. Mr. Hale is a veteran of WWII and the Korean War. Our goal this year was to have the students see the many people they know personally, including their own teachers, who have served their country.
- Canyon High School 8:45 a.m.
- The Canyon High School Student Council will have its Annual Veterans Day program and reception in the Cougar Den.
- Smithson Valley High 11:20 a.m.
- Ceremony in the stadium honoring all veterans.
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