WOS and CLE Students Honor Veterans
![CLE hosts Memorial Day assembly with Gold Star families]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1747937727/socsdorg/q5dvictet9at2obdrmxb/IMG_8400.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1747937727/socsdorg/q5dvictet9at2obdrmxb/IMG_8400.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1747937727/socsdorg/q5dvictet9at2obdrmxb/IMG_8400.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1747937727/socsdorg/q5dvictet9at2obdrmxb/IMG_8400.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1747937727/socsdorg/q5dvictet9at2obdrmxb/IMG_8400.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1747937727/socsdorg/q5dvictet9at2obdrmxb/IMG_8400.jpg","width":2200}])
WOS and CLE Students Honor Veterans
Brave, selfless, determined and courageous.
These are just some of the character traits that Cottage Lane Elementary School students chose to represent veterans they learned about as part of their annual project with Vetiquette, a program that teaches children about the sacrifices of veterans through projects and assemblies during which Gold Star families tell their stories. In recognition of Memorial Day, Christopher Haggarty and Vincent Marinelli’s fifth grade class led CLE’s patriotism-themed assembly and honored Gold Star families presented by the Vetiquette program.
CLE students, staff, administrators and School Counselor Stephanie Chahales honored the families of several U.S. military members last week as part of their character education assembly. The families of veterans including Army 1LT Lou Allen, Army Sergeant David Solinas, Navy ET2 Christopher DeAngelis, Army Staff Sergeant Matthew Joskowitz, USMC Sergeant Owen Lennon, Navy Seaman Gilbert Fontaine, Marine Corps Sergeant Christopher Hrbek and Army CPT Philip T. Esposito came to CLE to meet with students and attend the assemblies throughout the morning.
To help the CLE students learn about the fallen service members, South Orangetown Middle School Social Studies teacher Sarah Kukla had her seventh grade classes write biographies about them and each bio was given to a class at CLE. From there, each class made a quilt honoring their memory that is inspired by their life story and character traits and they were gifted to the respective Gold Star families.
CLE Principal Karen Scarth, Ed.D. first began working with Vetiquette founder Maureen Kelly to coordinate these events at CLE over 10 years ago. Over the past several years, William O. Schaefer Elementary School students have also worked on projects to honor veterans. WOS teacher Suzanne Luke, Art teacher Liz Piteo and Teacher’s Aide Denise Catalano as well as CLE Art teacher Tiffany DiVenere, Chahales and Enrichment teacher Kerri McBride worked with students at their respective buildings to make poppies which will be displayed in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Veterans Park for Memorial Day to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
Schools are closed on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. Schools will reopen on Tuesday, May 27.