On Friday, November 8, the Fredericktown R-1 School District held its annual Veterans Day Parade and Veterans Day Breakfast. Each year, the school district takes part in this as a way to show thanks towards our local veterans and to appreciate them and their service.
The first event began in the morning, starting just after the first bell. The JROTC students gathered in the cafeteria to help out with the first event—breakfast. Veterans from around town come in and are given a buffet-style breakfast prepared by our school cooks while JROTC students wait on them. Students are able to chat with veterans as well and talk to them about their time and experience in the military. The breakfast lasts for about an hour, and as it gets closer to 9, JROTC staff Colonel Francis or 1st Sergeant Cofer gives a dedication speech to a recently fallen soldier. After the speech, veterans and their guests are given time to finish their conversations and move to their vehicles to prepare for the parade.
Not long after 10:30, students were called outside to stand and watch the parade as the veterans drove by. Each year, many of the students will make creative and visually appealing posters to hold during the parade for the veterans to see as they drive by. All other schools join in this tradition, joining the high school outside. The parade is led by a school resource officer, followed by the band, JROTC, and then each military branch, separated with the help of our FFA officers. The parade will start by the JROTC building following the bus path down to the intermediate, passing preschoolers joining us at the high school. Once they reach the intermediate, the SRO will take the veterans over to the elementary, where more young Fredericktown students are waiting to give their thanks.
The point of the parade is to show our thanks to our veterans; the best way to do it is to get as much help involved as possible. As mentioned, three of our school organizations were involved in the parade. With the band leading in the front, they played various patriotic tunes heard throughout the area. Right behind were our JROTC students, some of whom are now in the military themselves. Finally, with the veterans themselves were the FFA students. Each year the JROTC program does their best to separate veterans in their respective branches, allowing the event to run more orderly. In the past, some JROTC students have held the branch flags; sometimes it will be StuCo. This has been something the veterans always seem to comment on, many taking pride in their branches.
The Veterans Day Breakfast and Parade is a wonderful way to show our appreciation towards our local veterans. It takes a lot of work from staff, students, school organizations, and, of course, the veterans. Yet none of it would be possible without our wonderful JROTC program. Without them we wouldn’t be able to have the breakfast or the parade. It is a long-standing tradition and will continue to be so as long as our JROTC program and school allow it.
