A Veteran Day program will be held by the National Honor Society (NHS) on Wednesday, November 9^th, during the Springlake-Earth breakfast period (8:20 – 8:50 a.m.).  A program for Veterans Day has been held annually by the National Honor Society. People involved in NHS this year include advisors Gwen Parish and Derinda Carter, seniors Alex Alvarez, Annabelle Anchondo, Halee Toscano, Katie Clayton, Oscar Flores, Rosie Hernandez,  Abrie Escalante, and Melany Vidales, and juniors Braden Bradley, Sydney Furr, Taytum Goodman, Lynnsey Mahler, Grace McIver, Xavyer Mosqueda, Emma Stevenson, and Emma Samaron. All these people have worked hard and put a considerable amount of thought into the Veteran’s Day program.

“For Veterans Day, NHS members have planned a program that will honor veterans from our community while educating the student body about the history and significance of Veteran’s Day. Some elements of the program remain the same from year to year, but this year’s officers have written a new script to frame the day in a more visual way,” advisor Gwen Parish said. “Also, the band, choir, and 4^th and 5^th grade music students will perform patriotic music selections. NHS members, especially the officers, have worked hard to plan and prepare this event.”

Each NHS chapter has advisers, but projects and activities are planned and carried out by the members themselves. The leaders of NHS, President Alex Alvarez, Vice President Tatyum Goodman, and Secretary Annabelle Anchondo, have worked hard to make sure this program is put into motion.

“I’m the president of NHS and with that comes a lot of responsibility. I had to make sure everyone was on board with doing the program and everyone was willing to help. I had to let Mrs. Furr [principal] know what we planned on doing as far as when and where we were going to do it,” Alvarez said. “The Veteran’s Day program is a special day for everyone. It gives us a opportunity to recognize the ones who sacrifice so much for us. I thought it was important that we did a program just because we’ve always done one in the past, and I didn’t want to not do it.”

The NHS’s plan for Veteran’s Day is for everyone to come into the high school auditorium where officers and members of NHS will give speeches. Student Council will have prepared gift baskets for the veterans.  The band will play the “The Star Spangled Banner,” a few speeches will be given, and 4th/5th grade and high school choirs are singing a few patriotic music selections. Veteran’s Day is a very impactful and memorable date for people in the world, and the values are the same at Springlake-Earth throughout the student body and the staff.

“The Veteran’s Day program is important to me because it means that I get to honor those who fought for my freedom, and I hope that younger kids will see us honoring the veterans and do the same as they get older,” Stevenson said. “I think that it is very important to have a Veteran’s Day program so that the younger generation can see who served to protect our nation, and we can be inspired to do the same.”

It has been 97 years since the United States first celebrated Veteran’s Day.  It originated as Armistice Day on November 11, 1919, to mark the end of World War I.  Ever since then, the nation has honored people who have served the country in war or peace.

“I’m excited to be a part of the program. We are doing it to be able to thank them for everything they have done but also to be able to do it in front of the school, so everyone can learn about it” Hernandez said.

Veteran’s Day is also a time to honor a past military personnel’s memory. This day is a day in which members who have passed away while serving this war, or after retiring, can be remembered and recognized for their service along with the living members. Either way, veterans are equally important.

“I am the daughter of Korean War era Army veteran, the niece of two Air Force members who were killed in Vietnam, the relative of another Korean War era veteran, and the mom of an active-duty soldier, so Veteran’s Day is very important to me and my family,” Parish said. “It is important to remember and recognize the service and sacrifices made by both military service members and their families. Without programs like the one NHS is planning, students and the rest of the American republic will be ignorant of the significance of the contributions made by all who have served in the U.S. military.”

This Veteran’s Day, NHS is positive they are going to honor and pay homage to veterans, not only to Springlake-Earth, but from the entire country.

“I know all the veterans will appreciate it, but it’s only a small portion of our appreciation to them. I do think it’s important that the NHS officers and the school keep this tradition of honoring the veterans,” Alvarez said. “It’s a great way to show off our NHS members and of course, honor the veterans. They sacrifice everything for us, so how hard is it to say thank you in a meaningful way.”