Livingston Classical Academy celebrates Veterans Day
Veterans Day at Livingston Classical Academy provides a conduit for students to celebrate those who have served and a deep love for their country
By Teren Sechrist, parent and Guardian Guild president
Kids hear what you say but they remember what you love. How do they know what you love? They watch what you do. At our core, humans do what they love and children know that instinctively.
At LCA we want students to graduate with a deep love for their country and a desire to be good citizens. We want to foster that desire by demonstrating that the school staff, the teachers and their parents love their country.
The motivation behind the Veterans Day celebration was to provide an opportunity to display love for our country by honoring the men and women who sacrifice in war-time and peace-time to protect the freedoms that we hold dear. 
The students not only heard but also saw love in action. We are convinced that this type of celebration will enhance the daily recitation of the pledge, the lessons they learn in their history classes, and the ideas they debate in their government and philosophy classes.
Captain Christopher Manley, currently the Executive Officer of the 127th Wing and father of seven young children, explained each part of the ceremony before it occurred. He instructed the students about the expected posture of respect while the pledge was recited when the National Anthem was sung, and while Taps was being played. He explained how the soldier was to stand whether indoors or outdoors. This emphasis on respect made a major impact on our students and several veterans also expressed their joy and gratitude that this type of training was being given to school children.
Colonel Daniel Kramer, the Mission Support Group Commander at Selfridge Air Force Base, delivered the keynote address. He engaged the students from kindergartner through eleventh grade with a delightful delivery of gratitude for our military.
He expressed his gratitude that though American officers are citizens and able to vote when they put on the uniform they are not political and all take an oath to protect our Constitution and our people. The impact of Col Kramer’s words on our students was magnified by his highly decorated uniform and his genuinely approachable personality.
In addition to our distinguished military guests, LCA’s upper school, under the direction of Mrs. Sarah Hunt, delivered a moving and beautiful arrangement of the National Anthem. Madilynn Jobe, an eleventh grade student read the Congressional declaration which established the annual Veteran’s Day holiday; Chris Winans, a guest trumpeter, played a haunting rendition of Taps; and while our first grade students sang America the Beautiful we were reminded that, because of our servicemen and women, freedom is gifted to each new generation.
Mrs. Gillon, our principal responded to the ceremony by inviting all the veterans in the audience to join our speakers in the front of the room. After a standing ovation, all the students, staff, and guests filed by the veterans, shook their hands and personally thanked each one for their service.
We have no doubt that, as the years go by, LCA students will forget what was said at our Veteran’s Day ceremony but they will remember that the ceremonies of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, the National Anthem, and Taps deserve their respect.