Veterans honored for service to country

Delano students and staff set aside time to honor current and former service members on Friday, Nov. 10, in the annual Veterans Day ceremony.

 

Dr. Timothy Roth, a 2001 DHS graduate and former Navy officer, was the keynote speaker.

 

“Very soon all of you will inherit this country. You will be its stewards,” he told the gathering of high school and middle school students, who were joined by a number of community members in the Tiger Activity Center. “It’s never out of style to love our country and be grateful for the gifts we have because of our veterans.”

 

Another highlight of the service was a promotion ceremony for Lt. Colonel Patricia Osmon of the U.S. Army Reserve, who was made a colonel in the presence of family members and other assembled guests.

 

Students also took an active role in the event, with the band performing both the national anthem and the “Marches of the Armed Forces.”

 

Three middle school students were honored as standouts in the Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest put on by the Montrose Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1901. Maya Rodriguez, Victoria Shafer and Victoria VanderHeiden were each recognized, and Rodriguez, the overall winner, read her essay, “America’s Gift to My Generation.”

 

There was also a scholarship essay contest for high school seniors that asked, “What Does Democracy Mean to Me?” Three winners were honored: Lauren Degn, Sydney Strobl and Rachel Ditty. Degn, the overall winner, also read her essay and said that the opportunity to participate in government either as a voter or a leader herself is part of what makes America unique.

 

Degn was also recognized for attending Girls State, along with Ashley Bruzek, and the Legion baseball team was honored as well.

 

But in the end, each aspect of the program aimed to honor service members.

 

“No matter what branch you served in, whether you were peacetime or wartime, whatever your job path or how many years you served, raising your hand and committing yourself to service in the military was a brave and selfless act,” said Jeremy Christenson, 1st Vice Commander of the Delano Legion. “Remember, veterans always put us and America first. Today we put veterans first.”