Long Beach Middle School Honors Vets

Long Beach Middle School seventh graders planted American flags to honor those who have served or are currently active in the military. The fifth annual Field of Honor initiative signified is coordinated in conjunction with Veterans Day every year.

Flags have been posted outside all five district schools as usual. But for the first time, they are also displayed in the grassy barrier at East Park Avenue and Maple Boulevard, where the red, white and blue symbol waves for all coming through Long Beach to see. Another new element to the project was a candy collection effort through Operation Gratitude. Students donated 135 pounds of Halloween candy, which will be shipped to troops overseas, along with handwritten letters and cards thanking them for their heroic efforts.

The seventh grade students were each assigned a flag, which they assembled on a pole and secured into the ground. Residents sponsored 143 flags, the highest number to date, by providing donations in honor of servicemen and women. The flags will fly for a month, and the proceeds will benefit veterans and families of active military personnel through scholarships and camp stipends.

“We planted flags to honor the veterans that served,” seventh grader Daron Proctor said. “They risked their lives for us.”

“The flags show our appreciation to veterans and all people who fight to keep us safe,” fellow student Emma Goorland said. “What they do impacts our lives.”

Added student Justin Correia, “I thought it was great that we did this. We remember what [the veterans] did. Most people don’t know how much they do … they deserve more credit.”

The 2015 Field of Honor was organized through seventh grade teachers Lauren Behan and Joseph Hoffman, though many students and staff members collaborated to make it a success.

“It helps the students understand the importance of helping veterans and appreciating what they do,” said Ms. Behan. “It instills in them a sense of patriotism and citizenship.”

Photo courtesy of Long Beach Public Schools.