001Heat. Heat. [music] [music] Come >> [music] [music] >> on. [applause] Congratulations. Good morning veterans and distinguished guests, members of the Cheshure community, fellow students, and Cheshure High School staff. Welcome to our annual Veterans Day assembly. My name is Alexa Nickerbacher, and I will be your master of ceremonies this morning. At this time, I would like to call up Anna Bowman and Bridget Cotch to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. [applause] >> Please stand for a moment of silence. 2 3 4 5 >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Please be seated. My name is Claire Bowman and I am an officer of Brave, which stands for bringing remembrance
002to all veterans everywhere. Our club mission is to recognize and appreciate every man, woman, and brave soul that has served our country honorably. As we begin today's ceremony, I would like to ask all guests to silence your electronic devices. We also welcome all underclassmen and anyone else watching the live stream of this event today. It is a great honor to be here with all of you. Throughout this nation's history, America's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and air women, [music] marines, and members of the Coast Guard have bravely answered the call to defend our freedom and sacrificed so greatly to help ensure that the republic would endure. Today, we honor nearly 700,000 American service members who died in battle. Today, we honor over 1.4 4 million others who were wounded. Today, we honor more than 15 million veterans
003that currently live in the United States. To all the veterans and active military personnel in attendance this morning, we are so pleased you could join us. Today is a day of remembrance and gratitude. It takes a considerable amount of bravery and sacrifice to do what you have done for our country. From the entire CHS community, thank you. We hope you enjoy the program. Now, please welcome members of the CHS Brass Quartet who will perform our n national anthem. [applause] >> [music] [music] [applause] >> At this time, it is my pleasure to welcome to the podium two members of Brave, Savannah Cotch and Lizzie Kaliata, who will share with us how the observance of veter veterans day came to be. [applause] Hello everyone and thank you for joining us on this very special day. Veterans Day
004is a time to honor all men and women who served in the military and put their lives on the line for our freedom. Yet, you may not know how it all started. This morning, I would like to share the history behind this holiday and why we celebrate Veterans Day at this time of the year. Originally, this holiday began as Armistice Day, which was established to commemorate the truce that brought a conclusion to the Great War or World War I as it became known. November 11th was chosen because the Armistice was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. So, one year later, a November 11th, 1919, Armistice Day became a national holiday to honor all World War I veterans for [music] their service. After World War II and
005the Korean War, it became necessary to expand the recognition to include all men and women who have served in our military. Armistice Day was then officially changed to Veterans Day on June 1st, 1954. Veterans Day is not only a day to honor those who paid the ultimate price in serving our nation, but also to thank and honor living veterans who served in the military during wartime or peace time. Please take some time today to thank a veteran for their service and share with them why you appreciate their personal sacrifice. Thank you. [applause] Thank you, Savannah and Lizzie. I would now like to introduce our principal, Mr. Hanland. [applause] >> [applause] >> Good morning everybody. It is great to be um with all of you here this morning and all of you who are in the
006classrooms watching. I'd like to begin by thanking Brave and all of those who contributed, our performers, our greeters, all the people in the background for keeping this tradition [music] of acknowledging and learning from our veterans going after so many years. students, for your probably your entire school career, you have had some version of a Veterans Day acknowledgement and recognition. But I want to let you know there was a time not super long ago that we left the recognition of this federal holiday to chance. And I am very proud that schools and school districts like Cheshure and schools across Connecticut decided that a better way to acknowledge Veterans Day is by having experiences like this where we get to bring our veterans in. We get to acknowledge them for their service and we get to learn
007a little bit uh a little bit about what it means to [music] serve uh your country. My father was a 1954 graduate of the US Naval Academy. He served for 20 years. He retired as a commander. He spent time in Vietnam. He was a member of the CBS. That was a unit that if you needed a bridge, an airfield, a building, a road, they were the people that you called. And I will tell you that when I was growing up, he didn't talk too much about his military service either during on the home front or certainly during wartime when he was serving in Vietnam. But as I got older, he did share a little bit more. And the depth of understanding for me that I gained by being in those conversations with him uh was
008really tremendous. that helped me understand at an even deeper [music] level what it means to be in service of this country. We are very fortunate that we have a very active veteran community here to uh veteran community here in Cheshire. So you too have the opportunity to do a few things. First acknowledge you and all of our service members for your service. We get to do that collectively here and we do thank you for your service. And I'd also encourage you just by being in the presence of our veterans, by having some of the opportunities that some of you had to have discussions today or discussions along the way. Um those experiences help uh deepen our own understanding. We just and when we have that deeper understanding, we can appreciate um [music] what it means
009just a little bit more. So um to Brave, I thank you for organizing and planning this day and all the people who helped out. to our veterans. We thank you uh for your service and I encourage all of you to take these opportunities for these small connections just to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to serve our country. We appreciate it. Thank you. [applause] Thank you, Mr. Hanland. At this point in our program, we would like to present the armed forces salute. For those of you who do not know, it is a melody of the official March past representing each of the five branches of the US military. They are recognized in the following order: Army, Navy, Coast [music] Guard, Air Force, Marines. For all the veterans in attendance, when your branch of
010service is displayed on the screen, please stand to be recognized or simply raise your hand as needed. >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. [music] [applause] [music] Heat. [music] Heat. [music] Heat. [applause and music] [applause] Heat. [music] Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] [applause] >> Heat [music] up here. >> [music] [music] >> Heat. [music] Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat up here. [music] >> [music] [music] [applause] >> Let's have one more round of applause for all of our veterans. [applause] [cheering] >> [applause] >> I would now like to call Eric D. Rocher and Arya Patel to the podium to explain the Medal of Honor and share a little bit about our two Cheshure recipients of this prestigious recognition. [applause] The Medal of Honor is the United States's
011highest award for military valor and action. And while over 150 years have passed since its creation, the meaning behind the medal has never tarnished. It is representative of the very values that each recipient displayed in the moments that it mattered. Bravery, courage, sacrifice, integrity, a deep love of country, and a desire to do what is right. The standards to award the Medal of Honor have evolved over time, but the Medal has always stood for actions that go above and beyond. The Medal is authorized for any military service member who distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. >> Cheshure's first Medal of Honor recipient was Ary Woodbury, a veteran of the Civil War. Sergeant Woodberry received the medal for capturing four Confederates and their flag.
012Upon returning to Cheshure, Woodbury taught Latin and Greek at the Cheshire [music] Academy and later was named headmaster. Our second recipient was Harvey Harvey Barney Barnum who served in the Marines during the Vietnam War. When his unit was under heavy enemy fire and suffered the loss of his commander, Barnum stepped up and assumed control of the rifle company. He carried out the unit objective while seeking to it that the dead and the wounded were evacuated. This bravery earned him the Medal of Honor. One of the new elementary schools that will open next fall has been named in his honor. Each of these men represents values such as courage and service and remain an inspiration for Cheshire residents to this day. [applause] At this time in our program, we would like to remember the fallen, those
013many who lost their life in service to others. I would like to introduce one of our club officers, Grace Bowman, to read the [music] poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae. [applause] In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses row on row that mark our place and in the sky the lark still bravely singing fly scarce heard amidst the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow. Loved and were loved and now lie in Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe. To you from falling, hands we throw. The torch be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep through poppies grow in Flanders fields. In this poem, McCrae memorializes a World War I battle which
014took place in April of 1915 in Belgium. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was a Canadian physician who tended to the injured throughout the 17-day battle. The poem written after the death of a close friend ultimately led to the adoption of the poppy as the flower of remembrance for the British and Commonwealth war dead. These beautiful words challenge the listener to reflect on their responsibility to those who have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice. We hope this poem resonates with you and encourages deep reflection on this Veterans Day. [applause] Thank you, Grace. It is now my pleasure to welcome members of the Cheshire High School Mix Choir who will be performing Eternal Father Strong to Save. [applause and cheering] Eternal [music] Father [singing] to save [music] our [singing] deathless [music] way. >> [singing and music] >> mighty
015ocean deep. [singing] [music] Oh, hear us [singing] when we cry to be [music] for those in peril [singing] on the sea. Oh [singing] savior [music] who mighty word the wind [singing] and w of miser who [singing] upon [music] the falling [singing] deep and calousious [music] [singing] Protect us by thy guard [singing] from every [music] peril. Oh [singing] spirit [music] through the father [music] sent [singing] to spread the firament. [music] Oh [singing] mighty spirit [music] by thy might save all [singing] who take the [music] e flight and keep [singing and music] them by thyful care from >> [music] >> every peril [singing] in the air. Oh tr [singing and music] [music] your children [singing] shield in [music] danger from [singing] rock and >> [music] >> And this fire and flare [singing] [music] they go. Thou [singing]
016[music] rise to thee. Glad praise from [singing] land and sea. [music] [singing] >> [applause] [applause] >> Thank you for that beautiful performance of the Navy hymn here this morning. I would now like to welcome Leah Bazudo to the podium to share the importance of the tomb of the unknown soldier and related Veterans Day traditions. [applause] In 1921, an American soldier, his name known but to God, was buried on the hillside overlooking the Ptoic River and our nation's capital. Over time, this burial site became known as the tomb of the unknown soldier. Like thousands of Americans each year, you may have visited this solemn memorial, which symbolizes the sacrifices of all American service members. Each year, at 11:00 a.m. on Veterans Day, an official ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington
017Cemetery. It includes representations from all branches of the US military, and the president lays a wreath at the site. [music] Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Leah. Please welcome our saxophone quartet who will perform America the Beautiful. [applause] >> [music] >> Mary glory. >> [applause] >> At this time, Liv Ridzy will come to the stage to deliver a few closing remarks on behalf of the Brave Club. [applause] There are many people who helped to make today possible. First, we are so grateful for Mr. Mr. Solomini, whose expertise and assistance are so important. Thank you to our custodial staff for assisting with all of the event setup. Thank you to Mr. Bell, our CHS mix choir, and Miss Conrad and the brass quartet in the saxophone quartet who shared their talents with us this morning,
018providing stirring and amazing musical performances. Finally, we appreciate the support of Mr. Bellward and our culinary classes for their outstanding contributions to our breakfast earlier this morning. I will close by saying that today it has been our privilege to honor you. While there may be numerous things upon which American citizens may disagree, we remain united by our foundational principles of freedom, equality, and justice for all for all. We thank all those who served our nation and fought to ensure that future generations would enjoy these cherished rights and freedoms. Today we celebrate Americans, America veterans. May we forget that. May we never forget that and may we never forget the service and sacrifice of our veterans. Thank you all for being here and have a wonderful Veterans Day [applause] [music] at the end of this period.
019Um, I'll ask all veterans to come to the front of the stage and juniors and seniors to go straight to