Several schools have are closed in observance of Veteran’s Day, but for the Plainville school district, it’s a holiday worth celebrating together.
The students of the middle school in Plainville hosted a Veteran’s Day presentation this morning to learn about the heroes who’ve protected this country.
Suzanne Schweitzer, the school’s psychologist and a U.S. Army veteran, spearheaded the event to give students “a deeper understanding of the commitment and sacrifice that all of our veterans have made to keep this country free,” Schweitzer said.
Higganum native Arthur Wiknik was drafted into the Vietnam War at 20 years old and shared a message of gratitude with the students.
“I want the kids to know that it’s a very honorable thing to be in the military, and very maturing,” Wiknik said. “We know what it’s like to be in other places where there’s not running water, where there’s an oppressive government. We’ve got it pretty good here.”
Fast forward to today, with Warrant Officer Tasha Dow serving in the Connecticut National Guard with 143rd RSG in Middletown. She spoke to students about the sacrifice she’s making away from her two children to serve her country.
“My kids, they’ve had to deal with me being gone a few times,” Dow said, “and it’s a hard thing to reconcile with other kids who don’t understand what that’s like.”
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Students honored veterans with awards, a color guard, and music. Veterans honored students with a chorus of sincere “Thank you’s” and encouragement if they choose to pursue the same career.
“It’s something that they could do too,” Dow said, “and there’s a lot of pride. It’s a job. It’s something really important.”
