As Veterans’ Day came upon us, most of us did something to show our appreciation for our soldiers both active duty and retired. Stamford held a parade on Sunday commemorating the holiday, Applebee’s offered free meals for soldiers, and department stores offered Veterans’ Day discounts (for their own benefit as well, no doubt). Here at Stamford High School, we had our own display of gratitude to our veterans. We held an assembly featuring both our band and choir in addition to speeches/discussions by veterans, who were willing to share their thoughts on the armed forces, their past, and their holiday.

The assembly began with an introduction by history teacher Doug MacLehose, who was succeeded by the Stamford High School band with their rendition of the national anthem. Afterwards, MacLehose introduced the various veterans in attendance at the assembly. This is where things got interesting. Most of the veterans MacLehose introduced were alumni, teachers, or held jobs at our school. You may know some of these people, including security guard James Jordan, who served in the Marines, and special education teacher Brian Shanahan, who spent 20 years in the Navy.

After the vets were introduced, they came up to speak upon a variety of topics. Some chose to thank all of the students for attending the assembly, while others shared their experiences in the armed forces.

As each of the veterans came to the podium to speak, it occurred to me that these men are relics of history. They lived through events about which we only read in textbooks. And at the assembly, they were willing to give us a glimpse of what they went through. For example, many of the senior veterans at the assembly spoke about their endeavors during war. SHS alumnus Nick Scutty was a photographer in the Navy during WWII and partook in the strategy known as Island Hopping in the Pacific theatre of war. Substitute teacher Cortez Stokes is a Vietnam vet and spoke about the maltreatment of soldiers returning from Vietnam, while veteran Jack Halbert spoke about his time as an ambulance driver during the Korean War. Shanahan then proceeded to ask the audience who would replace him in the role of defending our country. After the veterans concluded speaking, the school choir concluded the assembly by performing “Mansions of the Lord“ and the national anthem once again.

After hearing the veterans’ stories, it should dawn on you on how much these men and women sacrificed for their country. Generally, we think that it is only the soldier’s life that is put in danger. But in reality, the soldier’s whole family must also make the ultimate sacrifice. Their spouses must take care of the family all alone for the duration of deployments, and children don’t see their parents for extended periods of time. So next time you come across a veteran, whether it be your uncle or just a pedestrian, stop. Look them in the eye. Shake their hand and say, with all your heart, “thank you.”