Veritas Christian Academy Gives Back on Veterans Day

On Veterans Day morning, students at Veritas Christian Academy cried as they saw videos of combat and considered lives lost, families separated, and sacrifices made. They learned songs sung by each military branch and what they mean, they brought supplies to mail for Operation American Soldier, and they wrote letters to soldiers abroad to thank them for their service.

When Veritas administrators looked at the calendar and saw Veterans Day, they saw possibilities. What if, instead of simply scheduling a day off where students go home and play on their Xbox, students learn more about veterans and found a way to give back to them?

“We thought it was a much better way to spend Veterans Day morning; not enough of our students would have gone to parades or thought about veterans and the sacrifices they make for our country. So we added a day off to Thanksgiving break and decided to give Veterans Day back to the veterans, by having our students learn more about the holiday and visit with service members of the Air Force, Army, and Marines,” said Lisa Gerdes, Principal.

Asked what they learned about Veterans Day, several students shared their thoughts. “I didn’t know so many people were in the military,” said a first grade girl. “I loved hearing from the Veterans and learning about all the reasons why people join the military, and what made them want to serve their country,” added a fifth grade boy. Several students were surprised when they saw videos showing how hard it was for families being separated from their parents. “It really made some of us cry,” said several third graders. A fifth grade girl summed it up well. “It made me think a lot more. It made me realize why Veterans Day is so important and why we don’t have school. It made me want to learn much more about Veterans.”