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Our school had a community program to honor our veterans yesterday...

At 1:30, students were dismissed from class and instructed to go to the auditorium. When they arrived, about half of the auditorium was filled with members of the community. Students who were to play in the band made their way to the stage and took their places. The chorus students also made their way to the stage to the risers. All of this happened without a sound, no goofing off, and no hats on heads and outbursts.

Once all were seated and everyone in their place, the president of the student council very politely welcomed everyone. She then announced the presentation of the colors, everyone stood up without prompting, and 7 very proud veterans in full dress uniforms made their way into the auditorium with the lead vet carrying the flag. He walked up the steps and secured it into its holder and they all saluted and very smartly turned about and made their way to where they were to sit...again, all of this happened in total silence.

Once the veterans reached their area, the senior class president led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Then the band played God Bless America, suddenly the audience started to sing along - students as well.

We all sat down, and a young woman was introduced. She graduated from our high school in 1990. She served in the Army and just recently returned from Iraq. She gave a very moving speech of what she experienced and why she felt the desire to go through such horrific events. She also explained, the best she could through a poem she wrote, how she was able to do the things she was ordered to do. Not because she wanted to do them, but because she needed to do them for something she believed in from the depth of her heart - freedom. She finished reading her poem - again, all in the auditorium were respectfully silent, and as she left the stage she had to walk by the flag. She stopped, did a little step to allow her to face the flag, and saluted. The walked to her seat and sat down.

I looked around and noticed many of the old vets, I guessed from WWII, had tears streaming down their cheeks. Needless to say, I had to swallow hard and blink my eyes to gain my own composure.

After that, the announcer asked that all of the vets in the audience to stand - there must have been at least 50 of them. Then she asked them to, one-by-one, announce their names, branch of armed services and what war/conflict they were in. Even though they didn't know that they would be doing this, each one took their turn and spoke in clear tones that everyone could hear. One after the other, no one missed a beat and there were no silences in-between. Those men and women served from WW II to the current conflict…

Again, there were no sidebars, no misbehaving students, and no disrespect shown to anyone. After the last veteran announced his history, the audience - many with tears streaming down their cheeks stood up and gave each of them a standing ovation....this ovation lasted a good 5 minutes.

As we all took our seats, the chorus started with "Battle Hymn of the Republic", and again, the audience, without invitation, sang along.

It was announced that the vets who presented the colors were going to go outside the auditorium and 21 gun salute. Then, our band director placed Taps...

They came back into the auditorium to complete silence and a standing audience. As they took their seats the audience did as well. Then the chorus sang the National Anthem...and as soon as they finished the vets went up to the stage and got the flag and with solemn faces marched to the back of the auditorium.

The student council president then dismissed us. I was at the back of the auditorium and watched as people walked by the vets. Many shook their hands and told them thank you. What I didn't expect - oh, cynical me, was for students - as young as 7th grade to make their way to the veterans and shake their hands and say thank you. By the look on their faces, they didn't expect it either. Many of them choked up a little bit, but like good soldiers held their composure.

As the web master/unofficial historian/marketing person of the school it was my responsibility to record all of this on film. I was able to zoom in on people and experience what they were feeling through the lens of my camera. There were many times that I had to just put the camera down because I was overloaded with my own emotions, much less the emotions of those around me. What made this even more remarkable to me was the way the students (those who I feel at times don’t appreciate anything) acted and reacted to what was happening around them. As I made my way out of the auditorium and through the crowd of students heading back to the classrooms, I marveled at their solemn faces. This was an amazing experience for me, and I am sure for many others in attendance.

So, after this long entry – I want to THANK each and every one of you who served. I appreciate - because of what you did and experienced - that I am able to “do” and “experience” FREEDOM each and every day.