A number of activities around the Hastings Area School district marked Veterans Day on Monday.
During a day reserved for thanking those who have served their country in the United States military, students showed their gratitude for veterans both here locally and throughout the country.
Students at Southeastern Elementary were given a new flag to fly in front of their school after their current flag became old and worn over time. The Kiwanis Club of Hastings stepped in to provide the school with the new flag. The club was represented by David Tripp and veterans Dave Hatfield, Frank Campbell and Stuart Keeler as they handed over the new flag during a small morning ceremony.
The students responsible for raising and lowering the flag each day – AJ, Nolan and Iker – were careful to swap out the flags and now the new one is flying high in front of the school building.
While Hastings High School did not organize any programming of its own, the school was represented at the Yankee Springs Veterans Day Ceremony held on Nov. 9. Christian and Megan, a senior and junior respectively, performed a rendition of “Taps” during a solemn moment in the ceremony.
The students at Central Elementary also took time to appreciate veterans this year. Mrs. Wenger’s first-grade class honored veterans with their artwork, decorating a heart on pictures that read “Veterans are the heart of America!”
Mrs. Schultz and her third-grade class welcomed in local Army veteran Ray Boulay, treating him to a hero’s welcome that included a poem, song and a gift.
Boulay explained how, in 1965, he was attending college in Chicago before he was drafted into the Army. He initially traveled to Georgia to train in communications before he shipped out to Germany, where he taught soldiers how to put up large antennas. This allowed troops and generals to communicate with one another and coordinate more effectively during war.
After his stint in Germany, Boulay shipped off to Vietnam, where he said he remembers it being 108 degrees when he arrived while he was immersed in the stench of burning debris.
Third-grade student Chloe asked Boulay how he felt when he had to leave America to serve.
“I was very sad,” Boulay said. “...You don’t know what you’re getting into. You heard bad stuff about it. It was very stressful. It’s like if you fail a class and you go down to the office to get punished and you worry about that. You don’t know what to expect.”
Boulay also spoke to the students about being a good citizen, even if you’re not necessarily serving in the military.
“Be a good citizen and show kindness,” Boulay said. “Respect the flag and be a helper. Respect your teachers, parents, grandparents and even policemen and firefighters. Be proud to be an American! Did everyone get that one? In the Army, I’d say, ‘I can’t hear you!’
“Yes!” the students yelled back.