Carrollton Elementary honors 110 veterans with special Veterans Day breakfast

Carrollton Elementary School opened its doors and hearts on Veterans Day, hosting a special breakfast Nov. 11 to honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The school welcomed about 110 veterans for the morning celebration, which featured heartfelt tributes, student participation and patriotic decorations that filled the halls with pride.

Taryn Moore, a third grader in Mrs. Lowdermilk’s class and the daughter of Jacob and Lisa Moore, helped greet veterans along with her classmates. Moore had two relatives among the event’s special guests, her cousin 1st Lt. Sage Peters and Peters’ fiancé, Capt. Riley Eck.

Carrollton Elementary Principal Holly Dodds said the event was a meaningful way for students to learn the importance of service and sacrifice. “Carrollton Elementary was excited to sponsor a veterans breakfast Nov. 11, serving over 100 veterans,” she said. “Students and staff did a wonderful job decorating the new elementary building, giving a warm buzz that lasted throughout the day. We will definitely do this again next year.”

Peters, is a 2023 West Point graduate and distinguished honor graduate from flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The daughter of Chett and Bethanie Peters, she grew up in Uhrichsville and graduated from Tusky Valley High School in 2019. While at West Point, she studied kinesiology, played softball and served as a wrestling manager. Peters recently completed flight training as an AH-64 Apache pilot and will soon be stationed at Fort Drum, New York, to continue her Army career. Her brother, Capt. Lane Peters, is also a West Point graduate, class of 2021.

Eck, is a 2020 West Point graduate. He studied geospatial information sciences and served as an Army orienteer during his academy years. The son of Tim and Holly Eck, he grew up in Loganville, Georgia, and graduated from Grayson High School in 2016. After completing flight school at Fort Rucker in 2021, also as a distinguished honor graduate, he was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. Eck will soon report to Fort Drum to continue his service as an AH-64 Apache pilot alongside Peters.

From the patriotic music to the student-made decorations lining the new elementary hallways, the morning was filled with heartfelt appreciation. Carrollton Elementary’s Veterans Day breakfast was a celebration of service and a reminder to the next generation about the importance of honoring those who protect our freedoms.