Number of Participants: 300
Hours Donated: 1
Value of Time Served: $2,535
Event Type: Veterans & Military Families
Sport: Schools
Date: November 10, 2022
Location:
McKenna Elementary School
Spruce Street, Massapequa Park
NY
About:
Students heard personal stories of service and sacrifice at McKenna Elementary School in the Massapequa School District, which hosted a Veterans Day program on Nov. 10. Throughout the morning, 40 retired and active members of the armed forces visited classrooms to share their experiences.
The special visitors were parents, grandparents and other relatives of McKenna students and represented all branches of the military. The veterans who attended served as far back as the Korean War. Many of the guests showed pictures, uniforms and equipment such as military backpacks and helmets.
Principal Dr. Lowry said that every classroom was visited by at least one veteran or active service member. During 30-minute question and answer sessions, students asked the guests about their military service, memories and post-military life.
“It was important for both the students and the veterans to experience,” Dr. Lowry said. “Students learned about the need to respect and honor the service of our veterans. And it warmed the hearts of the veterans to interact with the children and share their experiences in a positive way.”
McKenna’s lobby was transformed into a hall of heroes, which each grade designing patriotic artwork. Projects included a “Hats off to our veterans” display by kindergartners, paper camouflage soldiers by second graders, a red poppy field by third graders and an American flag made out of red, white and blue paper links by the fifth grade.
Photo captions:
1: McKenna Elementary School welcomed dozens of active and retired military personnel for its Veterans Day program on Nov. 10.
2: Veterans, representing all branches of the military, visited classrooms for question and answer sessions with students.
3: Kindergartners showed the patriotic display they contributed to the hall of heroes to welcome veterans to the school.
4: Weston Webb visited his son Alex’s second grade class to talk about his service in the military.
Photos courtesy of the Massapequa School District
