LPS students honor veterans with many patriotic activities

November 11, 2024

Lincoln Public Schools students made red, white and blue their top colors this past weekend as they honored America at many Veterans Day events.
 
LPS students in all grade levels took part in multiple activities across the city. Several schools held patriotic-themed activities on Friday and other buildings hosted veterans on Monday.
 
One of the largest events took place Sunday afternoon in downtown Lincoln. LPS marching bands and Lincoln Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) students participated in the Lincoln Veterans Parade. Northeast High School’s marching band played “The Star-Spangled Banner” and Southeast High School musicians performed “Armed Forces Medley” by the State Capitol for hundreds of people. Northwest High School students also shared their musical talents when they marched in the parade.
 
Northeast junior Annie said it was important for her to march in the parade. The AFJROTC cadet is preparing to join a long list of family members who have served the country. She would like to enlist in the U.S. Army after she graduates.
 
“Veterans Day means a lot to me because my family was all in the military,” Annie said. “It means a lot because I get to show my support to veterans.”
 
Fellow AFJROTC cadet Junior voiced the same sentiments as he waited for the parade to begin. The Northeast senior has been in the program for four years.
 
“For my squadron, I think it’s respectful to show how we have taken this class to support the people that supported us,” Junior said. “And I think that it’s important for me to do this, because my grandpa was in the military, and he never got to finish this out, and he never got to come to a Veterans Day parade. So I think it’s nice that I get to be in it and do it for him.”
 
Master Sergeant Phillip Davey was in the U.S. Air Force for 23 years before retiring in January 2023. He teaches aerospace science classes with the Lincoln AFJROTC program and oversaw more than 60 LPS cadets in the parade. Cadets put up parking signs and roadblocks along the parade route prior to the event, and they helped set up the stage by the State Capitol.
 
“I think this is important because they can see that what they’re doing is affecting the community, because as we’re marching, you’ll see all the veterans out there who just absolutely love to see our students out there, and a lot of our students are probably going to end up joining the military, so it’s going to be paying it forward for them later,” Davey said.
 
Students at Campbell Elementary School and Lux Middle School enjoyed similar patriotic experiences on Friday morning. Lux’s annual Veterans Day program featured music and speeches for veterans who were in attendance. They then traveled throughout the school for breakout sessions with students.
 
Campbell students smiled as veterans welcomed them with high fives and fist bumps as they walked in the front door. Campbell teacher Olivia Thorell organized a morning of activities that included everyone in the building. Veterans enjoyed breakfast before sharing their military experiences with different grade levels.
 
Scott Middle School students celebrated the holiday on Monday with Honor Wall photos of veterans. School leaders received pictures of family members of Scott students who have served. They displayed them in the main hallway by the cafeteria for everyone to view.
 
The decibel level inside Fredstrom Elementary School rose to a patriotic level on Monday afternoon during the inaugural Veterans Day Walk. Students invited dozens of veterans to take part in the event. They joined their relatives and friends near the main lobby before beginning their celebratory walk.
 
Hundreds of Falcons lined the main hallway and displayed homemade signs thanking veterans for their service. They cheered as they completed a round trip to the far end of the school and back to the main lobby. A spontaneous chant of “USA, USA” soon filled the school as veterans gave smiles and high fives to everyone.
 
Fredstrom Principal Brandi Luber felt the event was successful.
 
“I thought it went really well,” Luber said. “The kids were really excited about it.”
 
Fourth grader Ryden walked in the Fredstrom parade with Specialist Steven Landreth of the Nebraska Army National Guard. Landreth is a friend of Ryden’s family and was happy to come support him at school. Landreth has served in the National Guard for nearly seven years.
 
“I wanted to make it, so here I am,” Landreth said. “It was a very neat event. It was very thoughtful.”
 
Ryden initially thought that he and Landreth would only be together for lunch. How much fun was it to get to walk in a big school parade with a family friend?
 
“Like a level five,” Ryden said with a smile.
 
Annie said it was meaningful for her and hundreds of other LPS students to display their appreciation for the country’s veterans across the city.
 
“It feels like a great honor to be able to show my support and to show that I support them a lot and thank them for everything they do,” Annie said.
 
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