Waving American flags and clutching “Thank you” posters, hundreds of Nimitz Middle School Junior Cadets lined Blanco Road in front of their school Friday morning. They braved the chilly morning wind with the drum line to honor the men and women who have served our country.
After they lined the streets, they presented the U.S. and Texas flags and said the pledges. They honored our veterans with performances by Nimitz choir and orchestra students.
More than 20 other veterans attended the ceremony, including parents, grandparents, spouses and Nimitz teachers who have served. Nearly every branch of the military was represented.
“I served in the Army for 27 years, and now I am trying to tell kids how to do math,” said Nimitz math teacher and Army Veteran Mark Verdi, dressed in his Army dress uniform for the Veteran’s Day ceremony.
This ceremony was especially important to Nimitz Teacher Robert Gonzalez. Before serving at Nimitz Middle School, he was in the Navy and a fire marshal on the U.S.S. Nimitz. He’s in charge of the constantly growing Junior Cadet program at Nimitz.
“This is our future right here,” said Gonzalez. “A lot of our kids have gone on to JROTC and even the military. When I get old, somebody has to take care of me and my country, and that’s you students.”
STEM student Daniel Grinman was another neat and unique aspect of today’s ceremony. He recently won a national 3D design competition where he designed a pin honoring veterans. Veterans in attendance received some of those national award-winning pins.
“The motto on my pin is ‘forever in your debt,’” said Daniel. “I feel it’s truly appointed to all of those veterans and people who are currently serving, so I would like to give a big, warm, appreciative thank you.”
