In an effort to support local Veteran’s, the students and staff at Lincoln Trail Elementary are raising money this week to donate to Honor Flight.
The Honor Flight Network began in 2005 as a way to send WWII Veterans to the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C.
Students who wish to participate in the “Hats off to Veterans” program on Friday can bring in a dollar to their classroom teacher this week. Students can also enter the raffle of their choice for $.25 on Tues., Wed. and Thursday.
Lincoln Trail staff has donated items such as lunch with a teacher, an after school movie, University of Illinois Women’s Basketball tickets, books and games.
Teachers gathered after school Monday for their annual staff auction. Teachers donated gift cards, lunch, cakes and pies, homemade dinners, classroom help time, University of Illinois Men’s Basketball tickets and home or classroom improvements.
These donation opportunities allowed Lincoln Trail donate $2,300 to the Honor Flight at the Veteran’s Day assembly last year.
Nearly 20 years ago, the Mahomet-Seymour School District became one of the first school districts to go to school on Veteran’s Day to host a ceremony honoring the men and women who have served in the military.
Lincoln Trail students learn about the Veteran’s service in their classrooms and through an assignment which encourages them to research or interview a Veteran. The kids also prepare songs and poems for the Veteran’s Day service.
“I don’t know how much they understand what these people did or even currently do in our military right now, but we help raise awareness in them,” Lincoln Trail Principal Jeff Starwalt said. “We are able to do all the things that we do and have the things we have because of the sacrifices these people have made.”
Sangamon Elementary, Mahomet-Seymour Junior High School and Mahomet-Seymour High School host Veteran Day celebrations, also. All Veterans are invited to attend services. The ceremonies are staggered so Veterans can attend all of them, if they wish.
MSHS will host a free breakfast for Veterans attending the MSHS ceremony at 7:30 a.m. in the high school library. An assembly with musical performances by the MSHS Madrigals and the MSHS Chamber Choir will begin at 8:20 a.m.
Student council members will say a few words about celebrating Veteran’s Day before recognizing each Veteran by reading his or her brief biography.
MSJHS will have a guest speaker beginning at 1:15 p.m. Nine Sangamon students will speak about what Veterans have done for them at 9:15 a.m. Students will also sing songs before recognizing the Veterans who are in attendance.
“In our district there is a real awareness and respect for the people who have served our country,” Starwalt said. “We want to ingrain that in our students. I can’t tell you how special it is to those veterans who come. They thank us for thinking about them.”
