Students share a spirit of thanks all month long
By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
For much of November, students at North Cape Elementary School have been thinking their thanks for the sacrifices made by hospitalized veterans and those living in nursing homes.
The students’ thoughts were then soon put into words and pictures, which they placed on paper.
On Tuesday, hundreds of “thank you” cards – created by most of North Cape’s students and one class at Washington School – were taken to the veterans center in Milwaukee, to be presented in the spirit of Thanksgiving for the personal sacrifices made by these veterans.
This month’s veterans project at North Cape follows a reconstruction of a wall at school that showcases the names of more than 500 veterans who are dear to North Cape alumni, school family members and community friends, explained teacher Suzanne Goodrich.
Each year, Student Council members take care of making preparations for the school’s annual Veterans Day celebration, she explained.
And, on Nov. 9, with the newly refurbished veterans wall as a proud backdrop to the Veterans Day assembly, an idea came about to share even more thanks and in a closer way.
Kim Shervey, whose son Ryan is on Student Council at North Cape, attended the school’s Vets Day program.
She was so moved that she talked with her brother, Gary Wagner, who is active in veterans activities. He contacted the Milwaukee veterans center and was able to find a contact person there eager to coordinate a student project with Goodrich that would combine Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day elements.
North Cape’s students then took over, embracing the idea of offering more thanks to the veterans via classroom projects.
One class at Washington School in Tichigan also participated, thanks to teacher/school counselor Katie Witzeling, who works at both schools.
The experience of the veterans project caused her to feel grateful and eager to really express her thanks to the veterans, said sixth-grader Isabelle North.
“I feel very thankful for what they do and how they have served,” added seventh-grader Ryan Shervey.
But Isabella said she also felt sad, thinking about the sacrifices these veterans had made in their lives for their country and its people.
-
-
-
-
-