Carl J. Lamb Elementary School held its third annual Veterans Day Celebration, featuring performances and an engaging history lesson that captivated students and honored local veterans.
The assembly marked a special milestone for the school's youngest learners: it was the first-ever assembly for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students, who demonstrated remarkable respect and patience throughout the program.
Chief Jonathan Hotchkiss and his wife Jan presented a fascinating flag history demonstration, showing students historical American flags including the 1775 Navy flag with its red and white stripes and the Bunker Hill flag with its distinctive pine tree. Students learned how Maine's white pine trees were used to make ship masts and counted the 13 stripes representing the original colonies.
Chief Hotchkiss also led students in the flag ceremony, along with two other veterans, Dennis Boyd, Sr. and Punky Noble. Second graders Wesley and Dennis had the honor of holding the flag.
The school's show choir performed "Because of You," a tribute to veterans' service and sacrifice. Veterans were then invited to the front of the stage for a performance by all grades.
Students dressed in red, white, and blue and performed songs including "Thank You to Our Veterans" and "The Star Spangled Banner" for what one second grader described as "like a billion veterans" gathered in the cafeteria. After practicing all week and having a dress rehearsal on Friday, students were excited to share their tribute.
"It was awesome," said second grader Wesley, whose father attended the celebration. His classmate Evelyn's father helped with the flag ceremony, adding to the personal connections that made the day meaningful for both students and veterans alike.