Trumbull High School Students Pay Tribute to Veterans and Soldiers

By Melissa Giblin ‘13
EE Staff Writer

As veterans and soldiers took their place on stage during Trumbull High’s annual Veterans Day assembly, the audience was immediately intrigued by the variety of ages.

When imagining a veteran, a cute old man of about ninety years of age in a hat typically comes to mind. Although the assembly did recognize veterans of this description, most were sitting in the audience. The focus of the assembly on November 9th was the small group of men and women of varied ages, some only a few years older than the students seated in the auditorium.

Looking up at the stage, the seniors were drawn to one of their former classmates, Joey Kryszcyznski, standing in uniform. Joey has been a member of the Army for eight months now, and spoke about his experience thus far. It was a great opportunity for those seniors interested in joining the service after high school to learn more. Joey Kryszcyznski spoke to students on a personal level.

The audience was also greeted by Trumbull High School graduate, Candace Naude, who joined the Army after high school and was sent to Afghanistan. She addressed the senior class, advising them to consider their options before deciding to enroll. Her main motive to join the service was to avoid attending college, and although she is proud of her decision, she emphasized the fact that options should be weighed.

It was also less common to have a woman in the military on stage, as fewer females choose to enroll. Naude was able to specifically answer the questions of the female audience members. In response to a question from the audience, Candace Naude said, “In a group of over 200 men, being the only girl is something you get used to. You just need to learn who you can trust and who has your back.”

The students were pleased with the assembly as it was an effective portrayal of the importance of veterans. The audience remained quiet and respectful throughout the entire program, which included speeches from Coach Anderson, who is also Lieutenant Colonel Anderson, the First Selectman, Timothy Herbst and the Superintendent of Schools, Ralph Iassogna. In addition, both the Golden Eagle Marching Band and the Chamber Singers performed. Even on the walk back to class, students continued to speak of the event in a positive manner.

Senior Kylie Rotanelli stated, “The assembly gave me a different view of veterans. I have always respected them, but it is hard to connect with them on a personal level and understand their sacrifice with such a large age difference. Seeing people my age up on stage speaking about the Army truly made it real for me.”

Many other seniors had the same reaction when listening to the veterans’ stories. The assembly emphasized the fact that your classmates of today may be fighting for you tomorrow.

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