OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Organizations across the metro are going out of their way today to honor and celebrate those who have served and are currently serving our country for Veterans Day.
That includes the younger generation.
Hillside Elementary School, a part of the Westside Community School District, honors our military men and women every year for Veterans Day.
Last year, covid put a halt to some of those activities, but they are back at it this year for a Veterans Day assembly outside the school.
Students will listen to a sergeant major speak about what the day means to them and will sing patriotic songs.
A few of the students will read letters and poems that they prepared for the day.
One of those students speaking is second-grader Lucy Edwards. Her father, Chris Edwards, served in the military for a decade.
“I’ll be explaining what it’s about and why it’s a holiday, and what a veteran is and what makes a veteran,” Lucy said.
“She knows firsthand what that means, what it costs, and what it’s like,” Hillside Elementary Principal Cynthia Bailey said. “So, I’m excited to hear from our little Lucy and her dad.”
Bailey says it’s extremely important for children to know about what veterans and active military members have sacrificed.
“I think sometimes when you have something and you call it Veterans Day, for a lot of little kids it’s just another day. They don’t really understand or know what that means for people who have served or have family who have served, and many times our military families are the ones who have sacrificed the most,” Bailey said. “It’s really important for us to hear from the kids though, because this is what we’re doing, we’re raising our coming generation.”
