Students and staff at Seneca Middle School, along with BOCES students, helped honor veterans with a grade level assembly earlier this week.
A playing of Taps by Seneca student Patrick Clancy began each assembly. The Seneca band followed with the playing of “God Bless America.”
Throughout the assembly student essays were read to the audience about Veterans Day.
“What a Veteran Means to Me?” essays were composed by Seneca and BOCES students alike.
Sal Nicosia, a veteran, former Patchogue-Medford teacher and Sachem Community activist, attended and spoke to the audience about citizenship and the importance about giving back to the United States.
A flag planting signaled the end of the assembly. In all 575 flags were planted.
In the weeks leading up to the assembly students were involved in two fundraisers. First, students and staff purchased “Sachem Supports The Troops” camoflauge t-shirts which generated over $500 in proceeds for the Team Jesse Foundation.
The second involved a flag sale which raised over $450 for The Wounded Warrior Project.
For a homework assignment, students were asked to complete a placard supporting a Veteran. Hundreds of these placards decorate the hallways in Seneca.
It was a day filled with student-based learning and participation.