Students Across Half Hollow Hills Showing Gratitude For Veterans

Students and teachers in the Half Hollow Hills Central School District have been working on many projects and fundraisers leading up to Veterans Day, to show our United States veterans how grateful they are for their service to our country, and for protecting all of our freedoms.

Students in the Senior Experience classes at both Half Hollow Hills High Schools East and West raised $275 and collected food to support the United Veterans Beacon House based at the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center. They also spent time in class reading about the experience of veterans in the book “The Ragged Edge”, and then were visited by its author, U.S. Marine Lt.-Col. (ret.) Michael Zacchea, who shared with them his deeply personal account as a soldier fighting in Iraq.

At Candlewood Middle School, students honored their hall monitor Hank Machold with cards, letters and pictures, for his service as a United States Marine during the Vietnam War. Machold, a recipient of three Purple Heart medals, said, “It is so nice to see students in this younger generation show thanks for the service of those that came before them.”

First grade students at Vanderbilt elementary school invited their parents in to help them write letters to veterans to thank them for their service, using key words they had been learning about in class that relate to Veterans Day. As part of character education at Paumanok elementary school, fifth grade students invited their buddy classes of third graders in to help them write letters to veterans while demonstrating that “gratitude is the attitude” and that they are grateful for their service.

To add a more personal meaning to the term veteran, Grace Pretty in the accounting office of the central administration building invited her colleagues to submit photos of veterans from their friends or family, along with the names, rank and branch of service, to be included in a Veterans Day display donning the halls of the central office.

“It’s important to honor our veterans who answered the call to serve and protect our way of life, and for the sacrifices they make every day while serving our great country,” said Pretty.