By Melissa Giblin \u201813
\nEE Staff Writer<\/p>\n
The typical high schooler complains about the fact that he or she has to spend Veterans Day in school. Sadly, students are looking for a day off, but for selfish reasons rather than to honor those who put their lives on the line for the nation. <\/p>\n
Once in school, the average teacher spends a few minutes touching upon the holiday before continuing with the usual curriculum. After school, students return home and resume their day\u2026just another day.<\/p>\n
Without a veteran in one\u2019s close family or friends, it is often forgotten how much these individuals sacrifice for each and every member of the country. Born into a free world, it is common to take the current state of our country for granted and forget how it came about and how our rights are maintained. <\/p>\n
If our veterans were not willing to fight for us, people would not enjoy the same freedoms they are blessed with today. Imagine your life without the freedom to say whatever you want, the freedom to go wherever you want, and the freedom to believe whatever you want. Teens often have trouble parting with iPhones for a few brief moments. How would you like to part with your freedom for a lifetime? That doesn\u2019t sound much like America does it? Well, you have veterans to thank for that.<\/p>\n
Today, less and less adolescents take the time to sit down with someone previously in the service and just listen. Veterans possess a plethora of amazing accounts of events that they experienced first hand, and with a less interested audience these stories of the past are being lost between generations. Veterans from the WWII era are passing away at a rate of nearly 1,000 per day, and their first-hand experiences are being taken with them. <\/p>\n
Soon, we will not have direct contact with these veterans and will have to seek information from less reliable sources. Those who have previously served the country are proud of their sacrifices and they often enjoy speaking about what they\u2019ve done for the country. Skip your daily hour of TV, put down your iPhone, and sacrifice a few minutes to listen in return for the enormous sacrifice these people made. <\/p>\n
In a recent interview, a Trumbull High School senior stated, \u201cI wish we still had the day off. It\u2019s stupid that we are the only school in the area in school.\u201d When the same individual was asked how he or she would spend the day given it off, they answered, \u201cNothing special.\u201d <\/p>\n
Another student honestly stated, \u201cI do not know how I\u2019m supposed to celebrate Veteran\u2019s Day. When I think about it, even if I wanted to show appreciation I would not know how.\u201d It is often difficult for teens to express thanks to veterans, without knowing one personally.<\/p>\n
Students should, therefore, be exposed to activities and ideas that help them demonstrate their appreciation to the people who have served and currently serve in the armed forces, especially around Veteran\u2019s Day. \t<\/p>\n
Whether it is their teachers who suggest writing letters and making cards, parents who encourage their children to take a ride to a historical site or cemetery, or school leaders who educate students on the actions of veterans, teens should be exposed the true meaning of Veterans Day. Maybe then, veterans will receive the recognition and praise that they deserve. <\/p>\n
A brief moment of silence once a year is not sufficient. Do not wait until November 11th to honor these heroes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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