SCS Honors Veterans with Memorial Day Assemblies
SKANEATELES, NY (May 31, 2017) – Skaneateles Central Schools honored our country’s veterans on Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, with two separate assemblies held during the day.
The day started on Friday morning at Waterman Primary School as Skaneateles veterans Jack Moran and Bill Knoll joined the school’s morning meeting.
Moran and Knoll were invited to speak to students about the significance of Memorial Day and its origins. The duo also explained what members of the American Legion do to honor our service people and how Skaneateles remembers the day with a parade and ceremony.
Later in the afternoon the annual Skaneateles Middle School Memorial Day Assembly took place in the Skaneateles High School auditorium, honoring more than 30 Skaneateles veterans in attendance.
Orchestrated by middle school librarian Sharon O’Connell, the entire middle school 8th grade team worked to build the event including Principal Mike Caraccio and Social Studies teacher Jim Ryan.
The middle school’s select choir, band, and chorus performed during the event with an original poem recited by student Joe Norris titled “Four Petals”, along with Taps performed by students Sophia Catalani and Jack Lovier.
A highlight of the assembly included student produced videos honoring veterans from the area. The videos were produced as a part of the annual Windows Project put together by Ryan, and the four videos selected to be shown during the veteran’s assembly were a featured success.
The assembly was capped off with a memorial wreath which was laid to honor all of those servicemen and women who did not return home from their tours of duty.
All veterans and guests were invited to the high school library for refreshments following the assembly.
Keep in touch with events and happenings in relation to the Skaneateles Central School District by visiting online at www.skanschools.org or following the district’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Skaneateles.Schools/.
Four Petals by Joseph J. Norris
Once, on a bright sunny day
A man and his grandson
Had gone away
To a meadow, filled with grass and emerald green
And flowers
As many as one could possibly dream
They sat down there
On the warmed ground
And the young boy’s head looked around
What caught his eye? A poppy
Bright red
He tugged at the petals
But the grandfather shook his head
“Boy, don’t you know for what, those four petals stand?”
The child replied
“No, help me understand.”
“Dedication is what the first is there for.
You must have a lot
To fight in a war
The second means sacrifice for your nation
And the world’s emancipation.”
“Emancipation?” The boy asked,
“Doesn’t that mean to be freed?”
“Yes,” said the grandfather
“from evil, darkness, death, and greed.”
Then the man sighed,
And his tired gaze revealed
All the men who fought to help the world heal
But then he looked back upon his descendant again
To explain the other petals
And the message they send
“The third petal stands for responsibility
A great one we had
To keep the free land free.
And finally, the last petal; compassion it shows
Something we cannot let the hate steal
No matter our woes.
So, leave the poppy there forevermore
And thus, all who pass
Will remember what was endured.”
