Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

Clay Central/Everly students salute veterans

Clay Central/Everly Elementary brought back its Veterans Day program last week after a four-year hiatus.

The largely student-led program started with a greeting from Director of Student Services Michelle Huntress. The students then led the audience in a spirited delivery of The Pledge of Allegiance followed by Iesha Tof singing the National Anthem.

Students in grades 4-6 then took the stage to individually describe what Veterans Day stands for, how it was founded, and the reason it is celebrated today.

Guest Speaker, Marine Corps veteran and Clay Central graduate Brent Cuttell, then took the stage. Cuttell moved the audience in describing what Veterans Day meant to him and spoke of the reason he joined the service years ago: to give back. Cuttell was moved by the Mavericks and their pride in their country, community and school. The audience was moved by Brent for the same reasons and his service for our country.

Following Cuttell's speech, the Maverick 4-6 graders took the stage to perform two beautiful patriotic song selections. Their final selection was handpicked by the students to thank veterans for their selfless acts of service.

Fifth grade teacher Joan Kimball thanked the veterans for their service and closed the program, inviting them to stay for a chili and cinnamon roll meal as a gift from the school.

The program and meal were set in the beautifully festive, patriotically adorned CC/E music room to a full house of community members and veterans in attendance.

 
 
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