HS Civics Teacher, Ryan Christensen, had the students watch a 3 minute video on the origin and the changes to Veterans Day. The class then watched a 2 minute video that honored ALL Veterans.
The students were then instructed to write a small paper (essay) on what Veterans Day means to them as well as to America. Here is one student's essay.
"When I think about Veterans day, the one word that comes to mind is sacrifice. Sacrifice is a difficult word to describe, however it's easier to understand the concept of sacrifice when you see the actions that come along with it. Veterans day is a national holiday because the men and women who are contributing their time through service, are helping the United States contribute to civil foreign policy. I think that it is important to remember that the military is there to protect the country first, no one else. Even though someone might be willing to go into the armed services, they are still sacrificing their time, and their life to provide a service to all citizens. Joining the military is not just a job, it's a way of life, when joining the military, you are giving your life to a better purpose, and that's protecting people. So when I think about what veterans day means to me, it is knowing that there are good people that are volunteering to risk their lives for people they don’t even know. Veterans day is a well deserved holiday because of things that are contributed and the actions that are military provides for us." by Peter Belt, HS Senior