ACS honored and thanked some 40 area veterans for their service and sacrifice at a special breakfast and chapel on November 3. Student Council officers welcomed and joined the veterans for breakfast, spending time in conversation learning about their experiences serving in the military. Special hand-made thank-you cards made by students were also presented to the veterans during the breakfast.
After breakfast, several hundred students from the 1st-8th grades filled the gym for the Veterans Appreciation Chapel, which was also livestreamed to the kindergarten and high school classrooms. Upper School Principal Meg McHale opened the chapel with prayer. Members of the ACS Boy Scout Troop 389 then presented the colors and 12th grader and Eagle Scout Hunter Jorgenson led everyone in the salute to the American flag.
Students had the opportunity to demonstrate their patriotism by performing a variety of musical numbers. The Middle School Band, directed by faculty member Tim Rosie, performed “God Bless America,” the PreK4 students sang “The Lord’s Army,” and the 1st grade students sang “America the Beautiful,” directed by faculty member Julie Zimmer.
8th grader Rowynn Shevlin was invited to the podium to share her essay that thanked veterans for the important sacrifices that they make to defend our freedoms. Her essay was chosen out of more than a dozen that were written by 7th and 8th grade students as an extra credit class assignment. In her essay, Shevlin described veterans as “honorable people who too often have gone through mental and physical strain to make America what it is today.” Shevlin continued — “Your strength and courage are something to be celebrated at least one day a year, if not more.”
A favorite part of the program featured the playing of an “Armed Forces Medley” video. The students cheered and clapped as each service anthem was played and the veterans from each branch stood for their anthem.
Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen introduced the keynote speaker, Lieutenant Colonel Jessica Lewis, who has served for 22 years in the U.S. Air Force. She is also a school parent and her husband, Urick Lewis, is the high school Bible teacher. Lieutenant Colonel Lewis described some of the challenges she faced while serving at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. She noted that during times when the base was attacked she always felt “that God was by my side.” She noted that Proverbs 3:5-6 is her favorite Bible verse.
“We often don’t know what God’s plan is, but we have to trust that we all have a purpose,” Lewis said. She also encouraged everyone in the audience to never stop showing gratitude to those who have served and currently serve in the military.
“Our veterans deserve all our respect, and not necessarily for fighting in a war but for preventing them,” Lewis said. She then closed with the famous quote from World War II General Douglas MacArthur — “Remember that the soldier above all others prays for peace.”
The chapel program concluded with the Middle School Worship Team bringing everyone to their feet to join in singing the lively worship songs “My Jesus” and “My Father’s House.” Three 8th grade soloists were featured in the songs — Abigail Kelley, Isabella Santos, and Rowynn Shevlin.
After chapel, students from elementary to high school placed American flags outdoors along the sidewalk on Zion Road in honor of our veterans. The flags will remain in place through November 11, the national Veteran Day holiday.
