On the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, World War One ended. Previously called Armistice Day, Veterans Day celebrates the millions of lives that put their country first.
Rather than taking the day off to enjoy themselves, South Windsor keeps schools open as a learning experience. South Windsor High School welcomes local veterans to come and speak of their experiences to the younger generations.
In an interview with The Prowl, Frank Rizzuto, the Social Studies K-12 curriculum specialist for South Windsor Public Schools, commented on the importance of having veterans speak within the classrooms.
“It’s just really important for students to know that whether they do or do not have family members or friends in the military, that these people [the veterans] help protect our freedoms and way of life,” Rizzuto emphasized.
To start the day, first-period history students attended a ceremony introducing and honoring the veterans. The ceremony commenced with a parade of veterans entering the stage and taking the spotlight.
Apart from the ceremony, members of South Windsor High School and South Windsor’s veterans, took a moment to honor Lance Corporal Donald R. Ouellette.
Ouellette, a 1964 South Windsor High School graduate, was killed on November 6th, 1967 in Vietnam, at the age of 21.
According to The Hartford Courant, in 1987, during a documentary project at South Windsor High School, students came upon Ouellete’s name on a list of people from Connecticut who passed away in the Vietnam War.
“Every year we make a point to commemorate his passing and his sacrifice for our nation,” Rizzuto stated.
South Windsor High School created a monument in Ouellette’s name. Each year, on Veterans Day, Colonel William Carroll and a veteran take part in a passing of the wreath, to be placed on Ouellette’s memorial.
For the remainder of the day, veterans visit each classroom to share their stories. Students are able to ask questions about their experience and learn more about life in the military.
In an interview with The Prowl, Daten Stimpson, a Vietnam War veteran, commented on how the Navy shaped his life.
“I just feel proud that I was able to serve, and this made me a good person,” Stimpson stated.
From WWII to the Iraq war, veterans of all walks of life are celebrated and honored at South Windsor High School. The community ensures their bravery and sacrifice for our freedom does not go unnoticed
