‘We Thank You for Your Service’: Hillcrest Elementary School Celebrates Veterans Day

The annual Hillcrest Elementary School Veterans Day Parade took place on Wednesday afternoon. A large crowd of parents and veterans gathered outside and later inside the school’s hallways to say thank you to veterans in our community and all over the world.

Children of all ages held red, white, and blue handmade signs reading, “Happy Veterans Day. Thank you for all you do” and “We thank you for your service.” Other kids performed during the ceremony, including saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Hillcrest Elementary jump rope team using the occasion for their first public performance. 

Hillcrest Elementary School media specialist Jessica Dial said the school tries to do something different to honor local veterans, but the overall goal is to make sure the students get an opportunity to say thank you.

“Everybody in the school takes part in this event,” Dial said.

The school’s music teacher, Lauren McGuire, played taps on an oboe during the celebration. The brief but powerful rendition of the time-honored tune, which is often used to signal a celebration of life for members of the military, set the mood for the afternoon. The group of parents and veterans in attendance, and most notably, the children, all fell silent in a strong showing of respect.

McGuire said she was proud to perform during the Veterans Day event because she has direct ties to the United States military. “It is important to me because my grandfather, father, and uncle served this country,” she said. “It’s important to remember them because they fought for this country.” 

A pair of students were equally as powerful in their performance. The girls read, “Ode to a Vietnam Veteran,” the poem by Steven D. Jones. 

The opening stanza of the poem: “The war seems over, but the scars remain.

As time passes by, it lessens the pain.”

United States Marine Corps veteran (retired) James Lindsey ( was in attendance and said the celebration was necessary for the current generations of Americans being represented at Hillcrest Elementary School. “This is important so they can know more about veterans and what being a veteran stands for,” he said. 

During the pledge, poem and playing of Taps, Lindsey could be seen holding his veterans fatigue military cap to his chest. 

Following the performances, the veterans in attendance were asked to line up outside the school doors so they can receive a proper thank you for their service to the country. Dozens of students lined the hallways and clapped, cheered, and some even saluted the veterans as they passed.