Boardman students treat veterans to lunch
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BOARDMAN -- West Boulevard Elementary students welcomed a group of special guests on Friday.
Veterans from Boardman and the surrounding communities joined students from kindergarten through third grade for lunch and enjoyed a special concert afterward.
The annual Veterans Day program has been going on for as long as Principal Al Cervello can remember.
"This is probably one of my favorite days of the school year," said Cervello, who attended West Boulevard as a child. "We talk about community, about service, and giving of yourself, and the kids learn what it means to recognize the veterans who are our parents and grandparents."
Cervello said the school's "Morning Message" is always about character education, and the annual program illustrates those lessons.
Lloyd Griffith, United State Coast Guard Seaman First Class (retired) said it was his 12th year coming to the event. He was there with his granddaughter, first-grader May Marshall.
"The fact that the schools recognize the service of veterans is very very important," said Griffith, who also spent seven years at the school as a math and reading tutor. "I think they enjoy seeing the veterans and learning about their military service and what it means to be a veteran."
First-grader Zoey Jennings sat with her stepfather, U.S. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Ken Polacek.
Polacek recently returned from a year-long tour of duty in the Middle East with the 37th Infantry Battalion.
"It was the first time she has had to deal with someone she cares about being gone for a long time," he said.
Polacek said the program is good because it teaches children at a young age to respect the unique experience and values that military service instills in veterans.
"All kids can benefit from that kind of discipline in life, that they learn from parents and relatives who have served," he said. "Learning to love your country, and those values and lessons from military service are good for your daily life and your career, and it's good to be able to pass those on to kids."
Amiya Benson, also a first-grader, enjoyed lunch with her grandfather, U.S. Army E-4 Erick Thomas, and her grandmother, Luisa Diaz.
"I just love coming here to talk and take pictures with her and the other kids and other veterans. This means a lot to me," he said.
Amiya said she loves and respects her grandpa and other veterans because "they protect us from bad people."
Boardman Board of Education member Jeff Barone said he attends the event every year.
"I just wish I had memories of something like this when I was in elementary school," he said. "In our country, it's easy to take for granted things we really should not take for granted."
Barone said the program has even more special meaning for him this year. His son, Nicholas, who attended West Boulevard Elementary as a child, just returned home from a tour in Syria as a member of the Ohio Army National Guard.
After lunch, the school's kindergarteners opened the day's entertainment with their rendition of "God Bless America," before guests were treated to a patriotic pageant by the third graders.
Other Boardman Local School District events on Friday included:
• Robinwood Lane Elementary third-graders hosted a patriotic concert on Thursday under the direction of music teacher Cristin Balale.
• Stadium Drive hosted a breakfast for veterans in the school cafeteria. Students put out personal invites to current and former military members. They hosted a school wide clapout for their veterans at the conclusion. More than 50 veterans and service members attended.
• Glenwood Junior High hosted its annual Veterans Day assembly with nearly 50 veterans from all branches of the service honored. Students presented the solemn White Table Ceremony and veterans shared refreshments with Glenwood students afterward.
• More than two dozen veterans, including several current and former BHS staff members, enjoyed a lunch from Mission BBQ and talked with students about their military experiences.