First Graders Reflect on Veterans Day
November 17, 2016 by
JPDS-NC students from Pre-K to Sixth Grade participated in an annual performance in honor of Veterans Day. The First Graders sang the classic American song “You’re a Grand Old Flag” with great gusto. “We practiced every day until the 10th to get ready for the Veterans Day performance!” exclaimed Zecharyah. “It sort of says thank you to God but we’re also thanking the flag,” mentioned Hadar, while thinking about the song and the Pledge of Allegiance. “I liked [the song]… and I had fun singing it,” remarked Gabriella. Evelyn thought the song choice “really showed how we cared about Veterans Day.” Hersh noted that he “had learned it before and liked the tune… it was a good song.”
Reflecting on performing in front of the whole school and the parents, Molly told the class, “I felt happy and a little scared because I was right in the front.” Hannah E. said “After the show, I felt proud of myself.” Lani “felt a little happy but also a little nervous, because when I try a new thing I get a little nervous.” Hannah J. also shared, “I felt a little nervous because I don’t normally like going on stage in front of a lot of people. I felt proud of myself after.” Hannah’s classmates echoed her sentiment, and shared that they felt very proud of themselves after the performance was finished. Lior said, “I felt good because I did the song really good.” Micah “felt awesome because [my teacher] gave us a cheer and also the other people.”
Rotem reminded the other First Graders that, “if soldiers also came [to the performance], they would feel happy that we sang it for them. Soldiers help us a lot. Also I think we should do it so our parents know we can do it.” David noted, “It honors our country.” His classmate Anouk shared, “I think it’s important that we do the Veterans Day performance to thank the people who fought in the army.” Gilad said that through the performance, “we thank the soldiers because if we wouldn’t have soldiers, our country would be bad because other people could come from other armies.” “I think we should have a performance,” said Lucy, “because we should thank all the soldiers for helping us and saving us.” Lily thought about what her classmates were saying and told them, “I think why we do the Veterans Day Performance is to thank the people who served us.” Eli summed up the class’s feelings by saying, “I felt good after we did the Veterans Day Performance.”
