Students Honor Veterans in the Poconos

Swiftwater, Monroe County - The sound of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" echoed through the Pocono Mountain East High School Auditorium.

Junior High Students honored veterans there."I thought the performance was positively magnificent," said H. John Davis. He was an Airplane Mechanic in World War II. He remembered, "Actually our people were the first ones there all the time. You know invasions here, invasions there."

For many kids military sacrifices and that fight for freedom are hard to understand. Eighth grader Michael Medaugh said, "I think a vast majority of the students don't really know enough about our veterans."

Medaugh participated in the ceremony with a reading and singing in the chorus. The event also included military movie clips and a candle lighting to show the love that some veterans didn't get when they came home. Eighth grader Cassidy Marzzacco said, "When they came home it just makes me feel bad that no one really thanked them that much."

After the ceremony, veterans got a standing ovation. Eighth grader Hannah Vonzup said, "It was just really an honor to show the Veterans that we really care, that what they've done for us."

Davis smiled, "They all performed very well, did what they were asked to do, did it in a magnificent way. It's almost overwhelming."