EF Middle School students pay tribute to veterans

About 50 of them were on hand Monday for the school’s annual Veterans Day celebration.

Veterans were celebrated at the 22nd annual Elizabeth Forward Middle School Veterans Assembly that took place Monday.

Students showed off their artistic talents during the assembly in an effort to honor the veterans who were present. School librarian Lynn Wynn, who has organized the event for almost 20 years, was proud to see how it all came together.

“We have to honor our veterans. We have to, that’s a must. They deserve it,” Wynn said. “Vietnam veterans, they didn’t receive that much of a welcome, if any at all. I want to make sure that they are also just appreciated as much as the other veterans. This means so much. It means so much to the veterans.”

Almost 50 veterans and their families attended the event, which included musical performances and the reading of essays and poetry.

The eighth-grade chorus sang the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and the eighth-grade band performed “American Declaration.” The seventh- and eighth-grade choirs presented “We Honor You,” and the middle school orchestra performed “Marine’s Hymn Fantasy.”

Assistant Principal Anthony Popowitz introduced special guest speaker U.S. Navy Senior Chief Mathew McPaul, who spoke on the importance of Veterans Day and honoring those who served in the military.

Former VFW Post 7632 Commander Rick Elster performed the table of honor and remembrance ceremony to commemorate those who were lost while serving and could not be at the event.

Elster also honored three students as the Patriot’s Penn Essay Contest winners:

• First place — Remington Senn.

• Second place — Joshua Garofolo.

• Third place — Kendall Cimba. Senn, a sixth grader, read his winning essay to all the students and veterans present at the assembly. This year’s theme was “My voice in America’s democracy.”

His mom, Shana Senn, said he wrote it all on his own and she and his father were proud to see him read the essay in front of so many people. Senn’s dad, Frank Senn, is an Army veteran.

“I’m very thankful to all of them for making it so we can all have democracy,” Senn said. “So we can all vote in elections and pretty much have freedom.”

Veterans Day was celebrated Monday across the school district, and Elizabeth Forward Superintendent Keith Konyk said he got to attend multiple events.

“We have ceremonies in all of our buildings, so we’re really proud of what our staff does and how we use this as an opportunity to educate our kids about the service of our veterans and really to be a part of all these, all these ceremonies,” Konyk said. “So we really like getting the kids involved.

“I think it just shows our appreciation for those that served our country, and for educating our children and making them just realize how important that service is and how much we need to appreciate these things.”

Wynn became a part of the annual event when her son, Tim Wynn, was sent overseas while in the Marines. Her husband Jim Wynn, was in the U.S. Coast Guard.

This will be Wynn’s last year preparing the event because she will retire at the end of the school year.

“My son keeps telling me, ‘Mom you have no idea what this means to them,’ to be able to gather, get together, just form a bond, and to be around all their peers.” Wynn said. “And I’m happy to do this, even though this is my last year, but they’ll make sure that somebody else comes in and takes over.”

EF Middle School Principal Trisha Martell said this is one of her favorite events hosted by the school and that it’s essential to honor military veterans.

“I think it’s really important that we teach our students about compassion and just commitment and honoring our veterans for everything that they’ve done, and especially serving our country,” Martell said. “It’s important for us to bring in speakers, for them to listen to their stories, and how they served our country.

“It’s a nice ceremony, and I really like how we have our students involved in the ceremony, with our band, our orchestra, our chorus, our essay winners with Mr. Rick Elster and everything he does is just really a nice added touch with the students reading it.”

Elster said he has been a part of the event for a very long time and that he enjoys coming to talk to the kids.

“It’s for them to be exposed to veterans and understand the sacrifices that they made for them,” Elster said. “It’s rewarding all the way around.”

At the end of the assembly, students went back to class, but veterans were invited to the school’s iCreate studio to enjoy refreshments, cookies and cake. Families gathered to talk to one another and were welcomed by Konyk, Wynn, Martell and other staff.