Eagleview Students Learn the Reason They'll Have Friday Off

Chris Gdowski

Superintendent

Students and staff have been looking forward to November 11 for weeks, and often for the wrong reasons -- myself included.  Adams 12 has a long-standing practice of closing for Veterans Day, and in our stressed out, busy world it's understandable that we often approach the holidays focused on spending the day with our friends and family, free from the structures and routines of everyday life.  The freedom to use this single day as we choose, however, pales in significance to the freedom we enjoy every day as citizens of this country, as the students, staff, and parents in the Eagleview Elementary community reminded me earlier this week.

I joined kindergartners, first and second graders as they filed into the Eagleview cafeteria on Wednesday morning to honor our country's veterans.  The students proudly wore eagle medallions that they earned for completing projects recognizing the service of those in our nation's military, and posters with the American flag, pictures of relatives in military dress, and quotations from past presidents honoring our veterans were displayed on the walls throughout the school.  The students waved small American flags as a group of current military personnel, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts presented the nation's colors to the beat of a snare drum, and then the students gathered on the floor to listen to brief remarks from Eagleview's administrators and two miitary leaders.

Master Sergeant Richardson engaged in a discussion with students about the definition of a hero, and it connected with me deeply because it was reminscent of discussions I had with my father growing up.  Master Sergeant Richardson talked about dictionary definitions that describe heroes as mythological or legendary figures with great strength or ability, and about the way our society often focuses on cartoon characters and professional athletes as heroes.  He recognized, as my father did years ago, that our society tosses the "hero" term around so casually that it loses its power as a word of honor and admiration.  He went on to define hero in a manner that I believe it was intended at the time our country first celebrated Armistice Day at the end of the first world war -- as a person who encounters dire circumstances and places the wellbeing of others before his or her own wellbeing. 

I am hopeful that our Eagleview students will reserve use of the "heroes" term for our military veterans, firefighters, police officers and others deserving of that recognition as they continue their life's journey.  And I am hopeful that members of the Five Star community will take a few minutes today to reflect on the reason we celebrate this holiday, as Eagleview Assistant Principal Kristin Golden did on Wednesday morning.  She captured the meaning of this day in a manner that connects with kindergartners and senior citizens alike in these brief remarks:

We are here today to honor those people who have chosen a life of serving others.  We are blessed to have that every day at Eagleview from our teachers and staff.  However, there are those who unselfishly serve others behind the scenes.  These are the brave men and women in the military.

Because of their service we have the power and the luxury to be safe, strong and free, so that we can go about our jobs of being the best citizens we can be.

A newspaper sits next to me as I type this, and it is filled with coverage of conflicts throughout our world that remind us that it is truly a luxury to be safe, strong, and free.  Thank you to all of our veterans -- including my father and brother -- who have served our country with honor and have maintained a privileged life of freedom for us all.