Veterans Day celebrated at ALAH High School

ALAH Veterans Day Service Projects. Some of the service projects the high school students took part in to honor our veterans. Pictured are students Morgan Cotton (left) and Quentin Morgan (right) painting a corn hole/bags game.

The Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School has been working on Veterans Day activities for the past few months.

Principal Steffanie Seegmiller states, “First and foremost, on behalf of Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School and District #305, thank you veterans for your service to our country.”

Principal Seegmiller said that since they were not able to have the traditional luncheon, assembly and reception as in the past, a full day of service activities for the students was planned to honor the local veterans, those that are currently serving, as well as partnering with the VA Hospital in Danville. Activities were designed for the students with some in person as well as remote, hoping to be able to include the entire student body.

The day began at 8 a.m. and as soon as attendance was done and everything organized, there was the posting of colors. The day ended with a drive through parade for anyone locally and the playing of taps to retire the colors.

Adriana Burton, a senior at ALAH, and a journalism student, captured the day for some local veterans by e-mailing them throughout the day letting them know they are an inspiration to all. This is her story:

This morning our FFA started with presentation of colors, followed by our band playing the Star-Spangled Banner. Our entire school recited the Pledge of Allegiance led by another senior, Erin Schrock. Mrs. Seegmiller finish our first hour with an announcement of the DAR/SAR awards. The recipients of these awards were seniors Benjamin Matheny and Erin Schrock. During our second hour, the student body was busy writing letters to veterans.

She continued, ALAH just finished their Veterans Day activities. These activities took up our third and fourth hours of the day. The activities consisted of welding poppies, bike repairs for the VA hospital, making care packages for current serving members of the military and the VA hospital, coloring pictures for the local nursing homes, writing letters for current serving members and making games for the VA hospital. Our chorus and band are recording Veterans Day songs, while others are preparing signs for local veterans, writing articles for the school paper, making tie blankets for the VA and the local veterans, making wreaths, sewing bean bags, and making Christmas cards. A small portion of our student body took a walk to the local nursing home here in Arthur.

Adriana also stated that the situation that we are in is very devastating, but the student body is doing the best they can to make this day feel as special as possible for the veterans. The end of the Veterans Day celebration was topped off with an excellent parade followed by the retiring of the colors by the FFA and the playing of taps by Benjamin Matheny.

She ends her e-mail by saying, “I am greatly saddened by the fact that we are not able to celebrate Veterans Day in person, but our student body has tried really hard to keep it as special as possible for all veterans, their families, and active members of the military. Thank you for joining us today and I hope that we are able to spend this day in person next year.”

In closing Principal Seegmiller stated, “We want you (our veterans) to know that you each inspire us. You are each a living legend. You made a difference with your service to all of us, not only in the moments of your service, but for years and decades beyond that time. You changed the world for the better. To our veterans and their families, we thank you for your service. We hope you each had a special Veterans Day where you felt appreciated, honored and respected.”