November 12, 2019
Granbury ISD students joined a community celebration for Veterans Day on November 11, 2019, in the Granbury High School auditorium.
Highlighted during the program were the Granbury Marine Corps JROTC color guard and Granbury High School choir. In addition to the National Anthem, the music ensemble performed patriotic pieces to open the ceremony. The JROTC presented the United States and Texas flags and also conducted a flag ritual during a recitation of “I Am The Flag.”
Acton Middle School eighth grader Max McPherson was named the winner of an essay contest among Hood County secondary school students.
The contest’s objective stated, “Many students think Veterans Day is simply a day to “celebrate” a day off from school. They don’t realize it is instead a ‘celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.’ The objective of this contest is to help students understand the true meaning of this day.”
McPherson’s essay is framed and will be displayed in the Hood County Courthouse over the next year. The text of her entry follows:
What Veterans Day Means to Me
I don’t believe everyone really understands the importance of Veterans Day. People usually do not think of Veterans Day as a big holiday and I think we should start thinking of it as one. There are so many reasons explaining why Veterans Day is meaningful to our country and people.
Veterans are some of the most important people to our country. They are the ones who keep us safe and keep our country free. Without them, we would be in danger. They also have to leave their families and stay in camps for months and sometimes years at a time. Their families also usually go to sleep worrying about their loved ones.
I understand how these families feel because both my uncles are in the military. My uncle Nick was in Special Ops in the Army and was a Blackhawk pilot. He has served seven deployments and my uncle Teddy has served five deployments. My family and I worry about them all the time. However, we are still very thankful that they serve and keep our country safe. Just like other people who have served, they have had to leave their families. Even though both of them have remained safe, many of their friends have lost their lives protecting us.
There are many ways to thank these veterans for what they have done. One of these ways is to send letters of thanks. You can do this by just writing down some things that you are thankful for them. There are many organizations that coordinate mailing letters and care packages to men and women across seas. Another way is to spend time with them and thank them for what they have done for us. The last way is to just look them in the eye and shake their hand. It’s as simple as that.
In conclusion, Veterans Day should be praised just as much as holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. These men and women are heroes for our nation and we should thank them. John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our GRATITUDE we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” I will forever be grateful.
Other GISD campus winners in the essay competition were: Julia Czernik, Granbury Middle School; Ashlyn Denholm, STARS Accelerated High School; Evan Morgan, Granbury High School.
Other school events on November 11 included musical performances at Acton Elementary School and Emma Roberson Elementary School as well as a “Here’s to Our Heroes” program at Granbury Middle School.
GISD students regularly participate in the community-organized events to honor both Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
