Schools

Canton Intermediate School Celebrates Those Who Serve

Veteran Day Assembly includes introductions, band performances, speakers and more.

Canton Intermediate School honored some 35 veterans in a Veterans Day Celebration Monday. 

The event included coffee and pastries for the veterans, the pledge of allegiance, remarks by First Selectman Richard Barlow and an introduction of each veteran, most of whom are related to a student at the school.

The Grade 6 band performed "Atlantis" and "Defenders of Freedom," a medly of service songs. The Grade 6 Brass Ensemble led The Star Spangled Banner and the school's chamber singers performed "Land that I Love (America the Beautiful).

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After the ceremony, veterans answered questions in smaller grade assemblies.

The program also included Student Compositions read by Morgan Vacca and Sean Connolly.

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Their words follow:  

Morgan Vacca

What is a Veteran? Sometimes when people hear that question they say: “Someone who fought in a war.” But really, veterans are so much more than that.

Veterans are people who are willing to do anything for their country. People who take the risk of going to war, just for us to sit here today. People who are not afraid to take a chance, who aren’t afraid of what might happen after. People who are moms, dads, daughters, sons, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews — people that have others relying on them. People who wanted peace.

Take a second to think. Would you be willing to take a chance like the veterans did?

If the U.S. Troops needed more people, would you take the chance that the veterans sitting here today did?

Even if some of these people didn’t actually go to war, they are still in history. They may not be on the cover of the next magazine you read, but they did accomplish what others will never dream of doing.

Thank you veterans for helping our country.

Sean Connolly

Today is a day in which we honor our proud, strong men and women who have give their lives to protect our society and people from things we all fear –but they have strong hearts.

They, who are in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. These strong hearted, amazing people we know as veterans.

This day is a time when we honor both alive and working, and the deceased and watching thankfully, as we give these people the recognition they deserve. Veterans Day mean lots of things to different people.

It means memories of scary warfare, with bullets showering down frightfully like a meteor rain, or the loss they and we feel deep in our hearts as a friend or fellow veteran perishes, or the pride one feels as he or she marches proudly away from a still looming smoky cloud.

They have given us all countless hours, upon weeks, upon months, upon years of their wonderful lives to protect us.

Today is the important day. We respect them and say thank you.


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