HUTTO — Original poetry, patriotic songs and plenty of flag waving accompanied Veterans Day celebrations at Hutto Independent School District campuses Nov. 9. Each campus created its own program to honor military veterans and parents.
At Hutto Elementary School, members of the community filled the stands and students sat on the gym floor to hear a program of music and poems honoring those who served. The program was performed by the fifth-grade students and directed by music teacher Sienna Hall.
Veterans share a meal after the assembly at Hutto Elementary School. Veterans answered childrens’ questions as they enjoyed coffee and brunch. Photo by Edie Zuvanich
“The biggest thing is to be able not to forget those who served,” said Sgt. First Class John Cornejo, a guest speaker at Hutto Elementary School’s assembly. “We live in an age now where the vast majority are not enlisting anymore so we’re seeing a decline in the military. So, I think it’s important to tell the kids how much it means to veterans to be recognized for what they’ve done, and what it means that we can give our lives at any moment when we’ve never even met somebody.”
The schools decorated their campuses for the holiday with flags, posters, banners and artwork. All grades including kindergarten attended the ceremonies, and for many this event and the accompanying classroom exercises may have been the first they heard about veterans.
“I do think kids get something out of it,” Cornejo said. “I think in the household if they practice remembrance, and when the teachers and veterans committee put on these events in schools...when you instill thoughts like that in children at a young age, I think they’ll be able to build that respect.”
A much-anticipated part of the annual Veterans Day celebration is the vintage plane flyover, organized by Hutto High School teacher Paul Lister. This year marks the event’s 20th anniversary.
It features World War II-era planes, some carrying Wounded Warriors as passengers, which circle the community to fly over each campus in the district a total of three times.
Originally scheduled for Thursday Nov. 9, due to rain the flyover has been rescheduled to Friday, Nov. 17. The flyover starts at Hutto High School at 2:15 p.m. and will be visible from every district school campus.
