Walk of Honor celebrates veterans at Elkton Middle School
Murray Smith, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the US Army's 101st Airborne Division, was among the veterans thanked for their saervice at Elkton Middle School's Walk of Honor on Veterans Day. He's accompanied by Jilene Ormen, community school advisor.
Jason Argenziano, head custodian of Elkton Middle School and also a U.S. Navy veteran, accepts a letter of thanks from a sixth-grade student at the school during the Walk of Honor on Veterans Day.
Students – many of which accompanied a parent who was a veteran – marched in the Walk of Honor on Wednesday at Elkton Middle School in honor of Veterans Day.
Elkton Middle School sixth-grade students line up in the halls to give their handwritten thank you notes to veterans taking part in the Walk of Honor on Veterans Day.
Students at Elkton Middle School celebrated the veterans who took part in the Walk of Honor at the school to celebrate Veterans Day.
Each veteran who took part in the Walk of Honor at Elkton Middle School had a large poster carried by a student to note their branch of U.S. military service.
John Mobley, a teacher at Elkton Middle School, saluted the veterans who took part in the Walk of Honor Wednesday morning
Anthony Beck, though not a veteran himself, instead took part in Elkton Middle School's Walk of Honor to acknowledge the service of his sister and borther-in-law, saying he "was here to speak on their behalf."
Teachers and staff also joined in on celebrating veterans who took part in Elkton Middle Schools Walk of Honor for Veterans Day
Erick Brown, principal of Elkton Middle School, greeted every veteran that took part in the school's Walk of Honor on Veterans Day
Cory Fairfiled, a US Army veteran, enjoyed the breakfast served by Elkton Middle School students after the Walk of Honor on Veterans Day. His daughter Lyric, 3 and son Bryce, 12, also enjoyed the breakfast as well as spending time with their dad.
Michael Wolf and his daughter, Charlotte, having finished the Walk of Honor at Elkton Middle School, wait for their breakfast to be served by students.
ELKTON — Students and staff at Elkton Middle School lined the hallways Wednesday morning, American flags in hand, and cheered as U.S. military veterans walked past.
Jilene Orman, community school advisor, said this was the first year the school on North Street invited veterans to the school for the Walk of Honor.
"It was an honor making everyone feel special," Orman said after the line of veterans representing several generations and branches of service, accompanied by a student from the school – in most cases their child, grandchild or godchild – walked through the halls. Some of the students presented the veterans with handwritten thank you cards from the 6th grade.
"It meant a lot to me," said Cory Fairfield.
He made the Walk of Honor accompanied by his son Bryce, 12, and his daughter Lyric, 3.
"I wanted to show my son I served this country and that he can serve too," he said.
Fairfield was in the Army from 2011 to 2013, serving in the 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment.
"It was awesome," said Michael Wolf, who served in the Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008.
The corporal's service included deployment to Iraq, where he worked in vehicle recovery.
"It was great to see all the kids and give them the opportunity to see other people in the community they might not know, or know that we served," he said.
Another Marine Corps veteran was Dustin Dixon, who served from 2008-2016 in the 4th Combat Engine Battalion.
"This was more time with my daughter," Dixon said, adding he got to have breakfast with Lacey. "And it was good for her to see me being honored as a veteran."
Dixon noted that Lacey hopes to become a military helicopter pilot.
Murray Smith was in the 101st Airborne, 1st Brigade, from 1965 to 1966, serving in Vietnam.
"I started in Ahn Khe and then went to Da Nang," he said of his time in country.
He's taken part in Veterans Day celebrations at North East Middle School too and appreciates the opportunity to give students the idea that they should serve.
"I personally think there should be a national service program like Israel," Smith said "It's important for kids to see just regular people like us have served their country and they can do it too."
Accompanied by his goddaughter, Amiah Koenig, Anthony Beck took the Walk of Honor to celebrate his sister and his brother-in-law, both of whom are veterans.
"I'm here to speak on their behalf," Beck said, showing the framed photos of both he carried during the walk.
Erick Brown, Elkton Middle Schol principal, was pleased with the entire event.
"I wanted to go all the way this year," he said of the celebration. "That included the breakfast."
