A mixture of clapping and tapping of shoes fills the gymnasium as cadets assemble into a uniformed configuration. Following, voices of sopranos to baritones assemble in song that echoes through the room.
On November 11, 2023, the annual Veteran’s Day assembly took place in the gym. For just over a decade, students, staff, and families have been invited to join together for a production in honor of veterans associated closely with LCHS.
“We honor all branches of the military, as well as inviting in outside veterans from the community to honor them as well,” said Lacey Kimbrough, student activities and engagement coordinator. The ceremony also honors current staff who are veterans, along with family members and friends invited by students.
The assembly was split into two sections to ensure every student was able to attend. Students and staff operated on an alternative schedule to accommodate for the two assemblies.
The ceremony focused on honoring the veterans through a series of components, opening with a speech from principal Michelle Lutrell. Following the opening speech, ROTC cadets presented the colors before the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Staff members and guests were then acknowledged for their service. “We owe these men and women our utmost respect for their sacrifice and bravery as they fought for the freedoms that we enjoy today,” said Ryan Colavita, senior cadet commanding officer for the NJROTC program.
Colavita had the role of announcing staff and guests to honor their service. “As a student of Naval Science and a member of our unit, I was humbled and proud to have the opportunity to be the person to recognize these heroes publicly,” Colavita said.
“I think that the program that we put on every year is really important,” Ricci said. “Not so much to draw attention to us, the veterans, but to make the students aware that there are so many people that sacrifice a lot.” Ricci served in the US Army for five years and has been teaching at LCHS for 29 years as a math and CAMPUS teacher.
“Each one included a short summary of their time and places of duty and it was so interesting to see the different ways there are to serve our country and share that with my classmates,” Colavita said. Colavita said he hopes his participation in the ceremony helped to raise awareness among students and the collective gratitude to these veterans.
The guest speaker this year was Captain Steven Vahsen, father of calculus teacher Mel Hefty, who told the students, “Life is all about choices.”
“My family has quite the connection with LCHS since both my sister and I went to high school, so we started thinking that having him speak near the 70th anniversary of LCHS might be a fun idea,” Hefty said. Vahsen served in the Navy for 30 years partially alongside Captain Bill Johns, senior naval science instructor.
Hefty says she saw Johns speak several years ago at the ceremony. “I started talking about how it might be fun to have my dad speak at one of the ceremonies,” Hefty said.
Vahsen’s speech consisted of short stories and advice expressing the importance of the choices we inevitably make in life, but especially how making good choices ends with the best results. “My dad has accomplished a lot in his time in the Navy and also has a lot of good advice to give,” Hefty said.
Following the speech, the ROTC drill teams presented a demonstration of the hard work that they have exhibited in competitions. The chamber choir sang the armed services medleys, followed by a playing of Taps by senior Luca Jungkeit before the final last words were delivered by Lutrell.
“County I think has the best Veterans Day celebration, especially with the JROTC in depth,” Beltran said. “It definitely recognizes all the veterans who are here.” Beltran served in the US Army for eight years and has been working at LCHS as a safety and security officer for three years.
“I think the ceremony is a great time to pause and reflect on the time and effort some people make for the greater good of our community and our country,” Hefty said. “We can sometimes get caught up with our day-to-day lives, so it’s good to have a specific time to reflect on the sacrifices the people around us make to keep us safe.”
