Elliott Cottington
Reporter
A panel of five veterans from various wars shared their individual experiences with the hardships of combat at the annual Veteran’s Day assembly. The assembly took place Thursday, Nov. 8 and was attended by students from AP U.S. History and American Studies classes.
Richard Webb, the Social Studies department chair, planned this year’s assembly which focused on the subject of the Vietnam War. Mr. Webb explained what he hoped students would take away from the assembly. “Consciousness,” he said. “Do I expect them to go and become experts on Vietnam? No way, but they need to see a little bit of the history and gain facts. Another thing is, I think the New Canaan kid is very estranged and distant from war and I want to show them the guys who were in it.”
As students sat in the auditorium, the veterans told their first hand stories, each addressing another aspect of war itself. From tales of lost life to examples of camaraderie, the speakers shared their detailed stories while addressing the need for increased awareness of our nation’s veterans.
Junior Claire Picard, who attended the assembly with her AP U.S. History class, was very moved by the personal stories from each of the veterans. “It’s so hard to comprehend what each of those men have been through,” she said. “The assembly has definitely given me a new perspective on what war really is like.”
Similarly, junior Jack Robey was amazed at the courage and perseverance of the men, noting how inspirational their speeches were. “Those men have seen things most people hope to never see, things they will never be able to forget,” he said. “This assembly has reminded me to be more thankful for our nation’s soldiers who make sure most of us never see the things they see.”
According to Mr. Webb, similarly to the 9/11 assembly, the Veteran’s Day assembly took many months to plan. “You work it,” he said. “You meet one [veteran], they like what you’re doing, pretty soon it starts to grow.”
Junior Emily Chalon felt that the planning Mr. Webb put into the assembly was evident“I personally think the Veterans Day assembly was a success,” she said. “It was so incredible to hear their stories. It is astounding to think that we owe a lot of our nation’s freedoms to men such as them. The assembly has really made me appreciate the sacrifices American soldiers have made for our freedom.”
The resounding feelings of inspiration and appreciation by students who attended the assembly was evidence to the success of the event. Mr. Webb’s main goal for the assembly was to educate and raise awareness of our nation’s veterans. “If they learn half of one fact, then the job is done.”
