SOCSD Honors Veterans

Over the past few weeks, students and faculty members across the district have been honoring veterans through a variety of projects, assemblies and classroom visits from veterans.

William O. Schaefer Elementary School students have been engaging in school-wide projects in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to honor veterans. WOS second grade teacher Suzanne Luke is coordinating with the organization to collect cards from each classroom to be delivered to veterans at their facility. WOS is also partnering with the Rockland County Veterans Service Agency Food Pantry to host a food drive from November 10-14 with the help of WOS Student Leaders. U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Jordan Bogart visited their meeting last week to talk to them about what it means to be a veteran and why it’s so important to show them appreciation. Student Leader Advisors Shannon Bogart and Robin Courtwright then worked with students to make posters that will be displayed in each classroom and throughout the hallways encouraging people to donate food items to support local veterans. 

At Cottage Lane Elementary School, the November Character Education assembly focused on Veterans Day and the project of the month was introduced in partnership with the Vetiquette program. Classes will be making cards that will be put into magnetic frames and will feature character traits that the students feel veterans possess. During the assembly as well as during last Friday’s “Live from the Lane!” broadcast, CLE teacher James Sharkey was recognized for his service as a veteran of the Marine Corps. This morning, CLE fifth grade teacher Siobhán Duggan’s class welcomed Marine Corps Veteran James Duggan to talk about his time in the service from 2016 to 2022. Prior to his visit, students came up with questions to ask him including why he wanted to join the Marines, what it was like being away from family and what training was like.

Seventh graders at South Orangetown Middle School participated in the annual walking field trip to view the Town of Orangetown’s Hometown Heroes banners during their social studies classes last month with SOMS teachers James Amandola, Sarah Kukla and Emily McKay. Students learned about the local heroes that were featured on each banner including what war they served in, what branch they were in and if they earned any special accolades. SOMS students also had the opportunity to participate in the annual Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest, which is an optional assignment that is sponsored locally by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1615. Participants will be recognized for their work later this month by members of the VFW.

At Tappan Zee High School, ninth graders wrote letters to veterans in their Freshman Seminar classes to thank them for their service. These letters will be distributed to local veterans and students also had the option to pen a letter to family members that are veterans as well.