Veterans photos wanted

From Staff Reports

Helping today's youth see the personal side of Veterans Day, students at Pea Ridge High School honor area veterans with a Veterans' Day Assembly every year. This year's event begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the gym at Pea Ridge High School. The guest speaker is Jock Davis.

In addition to the regularly scheduled portions of the ceremony, students in the Advanced Placement (AP) Literature class of Pea Ridge High School are preparing a special presentation for the assembly.

"We are asking for help in gathering pictures of veterans in our community," teacher Roxanne Enix said. "We would like a picture of veterans in full military dress during the time that they served as well as a current picture. We truly want the 'young' pictures and the 'now' pictures, so that attendees may see what the veterans looked like then and now."

"As an educator," Enix said, "I see that many students know what to do and when to do it, but they may not know the meaning of the reasons why they do it. Students have learned to say the pledge from day one of their schooling, but they do not realize the cost of their right to say the pledge. I remember my first year here the students did not stand for TAPS, not out of disrespect, but out of ignorance. Each year the district holds a Veteran's Day Assembly, and students file in one by one and sit in the bleachers of the gym. They realize it is a celebration for those who paid the costs, but it is hard for them to completely understand.

"In my AP Lit class, we have been studying the effects of war on the soldier, family, and nation. In particularly, we have looked at the ramifications of the Vietnam War on the soldier. I stressed the concept that the draft uprooted young boys during that time, and many of the men were the exact same age as the students I teach. We are fortunate that all of the wars, except for the Civil and Revolutionary, have been fought on foreign soil, so we are removed from the harsh reality. Our nation's veterans have not had that luxury. My class has decided that it is time to teach their peers the importance of Veteran's Day, The Pledge, "The Star Spangled Banner," TAPS, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

"For students to better understand how 'human' these people are, we are asking the local veterans to send us pictures of them in uniform during the time in which they served and a current picture. It is my hope that my students will be able to learn that war does not come with a price and/or sacrifice. My seniors will create Public Service Announcements (PSAs) to discuss the protocol for many things including why we stand for TAPS and why we do not applaud after the haunting tune is played. These will be played during our Accelerated Growth Sessions (AGS) to educate the students prior to the assembly. In addition to this we will use the pictures given to us to create a slide show of the veterans, then and now, that will be played as everyone enters the assembly."

Veterans or their family members are asked to include the name and address of the veteran with the pictures so the photographs can be returned after the assembly. Pictures may be turned in to Pea Ridge High School with attention to Mrs. Enix written on them. All pictures must be turned in by Nov. 6 in order for the students to create the special presentation.