Hiland NHS gets personal with area veterans
Hiland National Honor Society students got up close and personal with the veterans who attended the annual Hiland High and Middle School Veterans Day program on Monday, Nov. 13 in the Reese Center.
While the entire student body was on hand to celebrate with and honor the veterans who served their country over the past many decades, it was the NHS members who received an extra helping of insight into the journey these veterans have been through.
According to Zachary Rearick, Hiland National Honor Society adviser, the opportunity for the NHS students to really mix it up with the veterans put the experience on a whole new level.
“This is such a valuable experience for the kids,” Rearick said. “Just for them to get to sit down face to face with the veterans and hear their stories is encouraging and educational. It gives them a much broader perspective as to what these veterans went through. They don’t have that in-depth experience of knowing what took place in the wars they fought through.”
From the Korean and Vietnam Wars to Afghanistan, the veterans shared their stories and lives with the NHS students following the main program while sharing some light refreshments.
Hearing the stories of commitment, sacrifice and service served as great connectors to what they learn in history class.
“It’s easy to pass their sacrifice over because of the out of sight, out of mind theory,” Rearick said. “Those in our area who have chosen to serve their country, whether they volunteered or were drafted, they all have valuable stories to tell.”
In addition, Rearick said while he got the initial workings of the event together, it was the NHS students who did a major part of the work in inviting the veterans and creating the program.
Rearick said he got the basic script from former Hiland NHS adviser Alex Looney, but once that was in place, the students took the reigns and drove the event.
“I told the NHS students this was their project, and they took it and ran with it,” Rearick said. “They modified the scripts, took ownership of everything in the ceremony and pretty much did the work.”
That included NHS students who spoke in front of the student body and helped present the colors for the different U.S. military branches.
“They were all involved in some way, and ultimately, the NHS students will gain valuable leadership traits through the process,” Rearick said. “We’ve got some high-quality kids who are willing to step in and go for it.”
Rearick said that much like the military, NHS has the ability to help shape and build character.
One other aspect of the event was a trio of songs sung by the district’s second-grade students, who touched the lives of many in attendance, especially the veterans.
Tyler Renner, Hiland High and Middle School principal, said this event is great because it presents an opportunity for all of the high school and middle school students to invest in learning more about the armed forces and honoring the sacrifices these veterans made.
“We had a nice turnout, and it was good for all of our kids to experience,” Renner said. “I think for our NHS kids, it’s a great chance to get them out of their comfort zone. It’s experiences like that which we like to give our kids, knowing that they can move forward and accomplish it as a group.”
Renner said while the ceremony is great for the students, it also is meaningful to the veterans, especially in getting to sit down with the NHS students to chat afterward.
“We’re able to live the lives we have because of those who have served faithfully,” Renner said. “We owe it to them to honor them and put them in a place where our kids can thank them, and I had numerous veterans come to me and thank me for providing the opportunity. Every year they thank us for doing this, and it seems a little backwards because we are the ones thanking them.”
This ceremony once again reiterated the willingness and desire for students to celebrate and honor area veterans while also allowing the NHS students to develop and grow their leadership abilities.
