Golden Apple: Baxter Elementary Honors Veterans with School Program

To honor, celebrate, and recognize all who have served the country, Baxter Elementary students practiced three days a week to prepare for a program just in time for Veterans Day, where veterans were shown how much they are appreciated.

Third-grade teacher Mrs. Lee worked hard to prepare songs and individual speaking parts for all of the students.

In a new space in just their third year, Baxter Elementary is fully open for the first time and was at full capacity for their Veteran’s Day program. This year’s event had the most veterans and active military duty men and women in attendance that the school’s ever had.

With many veterans in attendance, a few spoke on how the music touched them and what they were feeling during the program.

“We look forward to it every year,” said Color Guard member Steven Rosenow. “It’s a thing that our youth needs to hear, and I think their parents and their grandparents, those who have not served, also need to hear some of the stories that we’ve experienced.”

“I almost got teared up to the song that they talked about, which was thanking the veterans for their service and the few had sacrificed for the good of many,” said Daniel Radunz, retired Army. “I think that’s where the true colors of a veteran comes through, is the sacrifice and honor that they did to the service of their country.”

And veterans want everyone to know the real reason on why they went to fight for everyone’s freedoms.

“Not everybody fought in a war, thank God,” said Rosenow. “Let’s hope that we don’t have anymore wars, but we do need to have people to serve, to volunteer, so that we are able to sleep at night with our families knowing that they out there taking care of our security.”

With a lot to be thankful for, Baxter Elementary’s principal hopes many will understand why they continue holding the program for veterans.

“Respect, honor, having pride in our country, America’s a great place to be, and understanding the value of freedom,” said Tammy Stellmach, Baxter Elementary principal.