Students from Siletz Valley School honored local veterans at their annual Veterans Day program on Tuesday. Students ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade offered handmade thank you cards, gifts and handshakes to thank the veterans for their service to the United States. (Photo by Monique Cohen)

Siletz Valley School students from kindergarten through grade 12 honored about three dozen local veterans on Tuesday with special gifts and appreciation at the school’s annual Veterans Day program.

“It was great. I’ve been to a lot of ceremonies, but none with the spirit and enthusiasm that the students at this school have,” said guest speaker Brigadier General David B. Enyeart. “It’s touching for them to give gifts that mean so much to them.”

Everyone stood quietly as the flags were brought into the gym while Bear Spirit Drummers performed. Staff Sergeant Jason Obersinner carried the American flag; Specialist Cody Redfern carried the Oregon flag; Stan Werth carried the Eagle Staff in honor of Paul Youngman, class of 1967; Heather Walker carried the Siletz tribal flag and Clint Muschamp carried the POW-MIA flag.

“One of the blessings that we have in this school is having our kids learn these types of things like Veterans Day and the meaning of that at a very young age,” said Principal Robert Line as he introduced each class.

Students in Andrea Douglas’ kindergarten class gave the veterans patriotic red, white and blue beaded leather key chains and colorful thank you cards they made in class.

Other classes presented large handmade “Thank You” banners filled with notes of gratitude from students, cards and heartfelt poems. Sue Molina’s seventh grade students gave the veterans handmade medicine bags filled with fragrant cedar, sage, lavender and sweet grass. Pat Whetstone’s sixth grade class compiled their writings about veterans in their life.

“Our words are a tribute to our veterans,” Whetstone said.

Veterans were also treated to homemade brownies and cards from the senior class.

Ron Hervey of Siletz is retired from the U.S. Army and has been going to the Veterans Day program since it began more than 20 years ago, only missing the program twice.

“This is the best ceremony I’ve ever seen,” he said. “These kids take it really personal, and it’s quite an honor to come to this assembly.”

After the gifts were dispersed, program organizer Tony Molina introduced each veteran to the audience.

As the ceremony closed and the flags were retrieved, the veterans formed one long line, and students and staff personally thanked each person with a handshake and kind word, as the rhythmic beat and melodic voices of the members of Bear Spirit Drummers performing “Soldier Boy” filled the room.



Monique Cohen is a reporter with the News-Times. Contact her at 265-8571 ext. 217 or mcohen@newportnewstimes.com.



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